Hey everyone! I hope you like this chapter, things are shaken up a bit and we see a character y'all have been wanting to see for a bit! As far as future updates go, I might be changing up days/frequency of updates. I love updating every week but I've got a lot of medical things going on the next few months, so I might be a little slower with updates.

Alright, all the updates are out of the way, I hope you like it!

Jiraiya didn't kill me, thankfully. I ended up slipping into the house and into bed a little over an hour before I was woken up by Naruto to head out. We ate a quick breakfast and soon we were out of the protective barrier that surrounds Uzushiogakure and on our way to Kumo.

We're just over halfway there when I sense him.

"Ojisan-"

"I know," he says, a grim look on his face. "I sensed him a few minutes ago. He's heading straight for us."

"Eh? We're gonna fight? Ha! Just wait until I-"

"You're not fighting him, Naruto," Jiraiya says firmly. "Only Kikuko will."

"What?" Naruto and I ask at the same time. Jiraiya snorts.

"I've only encountered chakra like this once before," he says as he looks at me. "It's a Jashinist."

"Fuck."

"What's a Jashinist?" Naruto asks, his cheeks are puffed out and I know he's not happy he won't be fighting.

"They worship Jashin, a god that gives immortality to his followers."

"Immortality? Psh-"

"Naruto," Jiraiya says. Naruto freezes.

"Wait, you're not joking?"

"No."

"But-but how? And why?" Jiraiya looks at me out of the corner of his eye before he focuses back on Naruto. We come to a stop in a large clearing and I frown. I make a few water clones and send them to set traps and seals around the clearing.

"Jashinists kill innocent people as a sacrifice to Jashin. Jashin uses those deaths to give immortality to his followers."

"But that's wrong! Killing innocent people-"

"Naruto, we don't have time," Jiraiya says. "Do not let him get near you or get a drop of your blood, do you understand?"

"But-"

"Niisan, listen to ojisan," I say gently. "If he gets your blood then whatever he does to his body will happen to yours, but he can live through it. It's part of the ritual."

"But imouto, you can't fight him alone-"

"There was a special division in Uzushiogakure called the Calaveras," I tell him quickly. "They received extra training and had a specialized seal that allowed them to seal away a Jashinist. Kairi trained me. I'm the best chance we have of us getting out of here."

"Okay," Naruto says, his shoulders slumping. "But I'm getting Kairi to teach me!"

"You can't, kiddo," Jiraiya says as he walks over and drops a hand on Naruto's shoulder.

"But-"

"Only a Guardian can do it."

"A Guardian?"

"I'll explain it later," Jiraiya says as I hear someone enter the clearing on the other side. He has pale hair that sticks up haphazardly. He wears a black robe that matches a large scythe he holds in his hand.

He sniffs the air. My eyes narrow as I focus on him.

"That's kind of creepy, ya know?"

The man laughs. He sounds high. He probably is.

"Two Uzumaki kids and a sage. You will be a worthy sacrifice for Lord Jashin," the man grins. A kunai flies through the air towards Naruto and I rush forward without thinking. I tear my left glove off and slam my hand on the ground. A wall of earth rises quickly and the kunai embeds itself into the rock.

I look up and glare at the Jashinist.

"That was so cool, imouto," Naruto sounds dazed. My lip twitches as I watch the Jashinist. His hand twitches.

"Ojisan, get niisan to the trees!" I call out as I move forwards. The Jashinist's eyes raise to his hairline.

"You really think you can take me on, kid? I've been alive longer than Uzushiogakure was a village."

"Asshole," I mutter under my breath as my hand drops down on one of my seals. Soon a large barrier seal covers us, trapping us inside. The world around us dims.

I don't want my brother to see me die. He can't see or hear anything within the barrier. Just like we can't see anything or hear anything from outside of it.

"Hm," he hums as he twirls his scythe. "Maybe I can have some fun with you before I sacrifice you to Lord Jashin."

I didn't need to read those "romance" books in the library to know what that meant. It just pisses me off but I force myself not to show it. I think about the kunoichi books I read in the weeks leading up to my coming of age ceremony and instead of glaring at the bastard I think of something that makes my cheeks turn red.

I'm confident and comfortable in my body now.

But I know I'm not conventionally attractive. I didn't think I'd have to deal with this bullshit. I bite my bottom lip as he saunters over, careful not to draw blood. He throws his scythe to the side, it lands with a thump in the grass.

When he stands in front of me he grabs my right hand and pulls my glove off before he tosses it to the side. I look away from him. The kunoichi books said to always act shy when they underestimate you.

I hear the sound of a zipper before I realize he's opening my jacket. I mentally curse myself for wearing a tank top under it. A genjutsu seal hidden on the inside of my jacket helps hide the size of my chest so I don't have to use bindings anymore.

But I really wish I had as I feel his eyes on me.

I look down and away from him, some of my hair falls out of my braid and hides my face slightly as his hands rest on my shoulders before they push the jacket off of my shoulders and down my arms.

He throws my jacket to the side like my glove and I've never felt more exposed.

"I expected you to be a little firecracker with how you stopped that kunai," he murmurs. His voice is deep and vibrates against my throat where his lips rest. I take a shaky breath. He could bite me and make me bleed right now.

"You like that, huh?" He asks as he runs his nose along my neck. I tilt my head as he moves his nose up along my jaw before his hand grabs my face on the other side and forces me to look at him.

I open my eyes wide as I look at him. He smirks.

"So innocent," he says, his voice is light, teasing. "No matter how hard you try to fight it, it's clear you want me to change that." He leans forward to kiss me and I use the opportunity to grab two of my kunai.

His lips almost touch mine, but his mouth opens in a silent scream as I jam my kunai into his thigh. I throw my other kunai across the clearing as I pull the kunai I stabbed him with out of his leg.

"You bitch you just stabbed my di-" he screams when he steps on one of my seals. His leg detaches from his body. I cringe at the sight but focus on the mission.

I quickly reach over and hover my hand over the seal on my right forearm. He starts to hop over to me as I pull my mask out and place it over my face. I reach back with my now free hand to grab my kunai that's embedded in the trunk of the tree.

"I thought all of you were dead!" He yells as he picks up his scythe. "I hated you seduction Calaveras the most!" He throws his scythe in my direction but I throw my kunai and land in another part of the clearing. I easily bring the kunai that's covered in blood up to my forehead and smear the blood on the center of it.

"Seal!"

"You-"

He's interrupted by the sound of metal chains clanking against each other.

Shadowy chains wrap around him and lift him from the ground as a pale creature with white hair and clothing appears behind him. The chains squeeze the Jashinist tightly and force him backwards so quickly he drops his scythe.

There's a loud roar and suddenly I'm alone in the clearing with only the scythe as my company. I drop to my knees and the world around me dims even more.

"You did well, Uzumaki Kikuko. I wouldn't expect any less from you." I look up to Izanami sitting on her knees in front of me. She reaches a hand out, and somehow her hand goes through my mask.

Her hand brushes against my cheek and it's only then that I realize I'm crying.

"I didn't really fight him-"

"You did," she cuts me off. "You outsmarted him as well. There's nothing wrong with being a seduction specialist."

"But I'm not a seduction specialist."

"I know," she says gently.

"Don't be ashamed of yourself for this. You saved your precious people's lives today and with your sacrifice you have this mask to rely on to save someone precious to you in the future." I nod my head weakly. She grasps my shoulders firmly for a second and then the next second she's gone.

I slowly remove the mask from my face and carefully seal it back into my arm. My hands shake as I wipe them on the grass. Desperate to get rid of the blood that stains them. Once I'm sure my hands are clean, I bite my thumb and press it into a clean spot of grass.

Kairi appears immediately.

"Kikuko?" She asks.

"I used seduction techniques against the Jashinist. Why?" My voice cracks.

"It was your natural reaction," Kairi says gently.

"He was the one to start-"

"I know, mija. They always do."

"But-" I sniffle.

"You talk in your sleep sometimes, you know?"

"What does that have to do with-"

"No matter what happens on the field, you will always be focused on Shikamaru," she says firmly. "You've said his name in your sleep for years."

"Kairi," my cheeks burn.

"And you probably thought about him to make yourself blush."

"Kairi-"

"Hm, was it page one thirty of Icha Icha-"

"Kairi!" I screech.

"There's my girl," she says, her voice warm. "You know sex isn't bad."

"I know," I mumble.

"We'll work on your seduction skills later on and hone them."

"But why?"

"When fighting a Jashinist, it's safer for you," Kairi says. "You're not a flashy fighter, mija. You get in, do what needs to be done and get out. You're a strategist and seduction missions are entirely strategy. It fits you." I nod as I start to clean the blood off my kunai in the grass. It does make me feel a bit better.

"How far did it go?" Kairi asks after a few beats of silence.

"He almost kissed me," I finally look up at the seagull.

"You and Kahana are too much alike," Kairi finally says as she shakes her head.

"Huh?"

"She was a seduction specialist but she fought it at first."

"I'm sure Shinya liked that," I snort. If there's one thing I know about men in the Nara clan, it's that they're possessive as hell. One time we went out for barbeque and a guy looked at Yoshino for a second too long. He was gasping for air as shadows held him against a wall over a foot off the ground within seconds.

"Kahana did, honestly they'd lock themselves away for weeks after that," Kairi grumbles.

"Oh?"

"Don't get any ideas about Shikamaru," she says.

"Too late~"

"Kikuko," Kairi whines. I snort at her reaction. "How did you manage to get so much blood?" Kairi asks, changing the conversation as she looks at my kunai and the blood on the ground.

"I uh-" I look down and scratch the back of my head.

"You," Kairi says, waiting when I don't say anything.

"I maybe stabbed him in the-"

"Oh kami!" Kairi throws her head back. "Oh, just wait until the others hear about this!"

"I just meant to stab his thigh 'ttbane!"

"Oh that's amazing, mija," Kairi laughs freely. "Now, bring down the barrier so your brother and godfather know you're okay."

"Oh no!" I say as I shakily stand up. "Woah," I say as I throw my arms out to my sides, trying to regain my balance as the world spins.

"On second thought, let me bring it down." I fall back down to the ground and groan.

"What's going on?"

"You're bordering on chakra exhaustion," Kairi says as she steps on the barrier seal. The barrier is gone instantly and Jiraiya and Naruto run towards me.

"You okay?" Jiraiya asks in my ear as Naruto pats my arms making sure I'm not hurt.

"I'm okay," I say as Naruto grabs my shaking hands.

"I'm okay."

Maybe if I repeat it enough times I will be.

"Kiku-chan!" Akihiko says as soon as we walk through the gate into the village. I look up to see my older cousin running towards me. His hair is pulled back in hundreds of small braids that go down to almost his waist. "Where the hell have you been loca?"

"Hiding from you," the words slip out naturally and for the first time since my experience with the Jashinist, I feel like myself.

"You look like you've seen a ghost," he says as he pulls me into a tight hug.

"She did!" Naruto says. "Well, that's kinda what the dude looked like at least."

"What dude?" Akihiko asks as his arms tighten around me. I smile into his chest. He's just as overprotective as Naruto can be.

"Oh, did we even get his name?" Naruto asks and Jiraiya sighs.

"Kikuko-chan fought with her first Jashinist," Jiraiya says as Naruto squawks. Most likely from whatever hold Jiraiya trapped him in for being so hyper.

"What?" Akihiko's voice is hard. It's the most serious I've ever heard him.

"I'm okay," I mumble.

"No you're not," he says quietly enough for only me to hear.

"Kairi said I'd be a seduction specialist," I say as I feel Jiraiya and Naruto's chakra signatures move away from us and closer to sensei's.

"Ah, you know there's nothing wrong about that, right?"

"I know."

"Kiku-chan-"

"Akihiko!" Kairi says and I feel her brush against me as she lands on his shoulder. "You won't believe what she did!"

"Oh?"

"No Kairi-"

"She stabbed his di-"

"Kairi!"

"No me diga!" Naruto and Akihiko yell. I groan and try to hide in Akihiko's chest as they all talk around me. The conversation turns from the Jashinist to catching up as Akihiko runs his hands through my hair. My eyes start to feel heavy as I feel his hand run over my head. I lean more into him and he laughs quietly. One second I'm on the feet and the next I'm in the air.

I don't even fight him as he pulls me closer to his chest as he carries me through the village. I already didn't get enough sleep. And now I'm dealing with chakra exhaustion on top of that. Jiraiya carried me most of the way, but I started feeling better an hour away from Kumo.

But maybe I was just being stubborn.

Another wave of dizziness hits me.

Yeah I was just being stubborn.

"How are you feeling?" A new voice asks. I force my eyes open to see Akako, Akihiko's older sister standing in front of me. Her brow is furrowed and her chakra rolls with her worry.

"Like shit." If there's one thing I've learned in my time in Kumo, it's to not lie to a medic. Ever. Don't even try to fib or tone things down, either. Because they'll kick your ass more to make you spend more time in the hospital. "Kairi said it's chakra exhaustion."

"Chakra exhaustion?" She asks. "What the hell happened?"

"Kiku-chan stabbed a Jashinist in his-"

"No me diga!" She screeches as she looks at me.

"I didn't do it on purpose 'ttbane."

"Oh, but you can so use it as an intimidation tactic in the future you know?" She says as she hovers her hand in front of my face. There's a light green glow of chakra that surrounds it as she checks me over.

"Really?"

"Our mom still uses it as a way to scare the drunk pendejos at the store."

"Wait your mom-"

"She was a seduction specialist," Akako smirks.

"Eh?"

"I'm sure she'll give you advice, she said she was nervous and felt bad about it at first, too," Akihiko says as Akako pulls her hand away.

"It is chakra exhaustion. You need to take it easy for the next day or so. You definitely need a nap-"

"Yay!"

"And then you can rest during your meetings with the elders."

"Mendokusai."

"Kikuko-chan," a voice rasps as soon as I enter the room. A man with auburn hair and violet eyes looks at me with so much love I almost feel my heart burst. He looks older than he did in the pictures at home. Wrinkles line his eyes and the sun has damaged his skin.

But he's alive.

"Abuelo," I say as I look at him. My voice sounds watery and my entire body starts to shake. He smiles at me warmly as he moves from his seat at the long table in the center of the large room we use for Uzushio events. He walks towards me and I finally feel like I can move again.

As soon as I realize it, I'm running to him. His arms open wide and I fall into him, sobbing into his shoulder.

"Shh, mija." He whispers into my hair. "We are so proud of you."

"Love you."

"I love you, too." He hugs me tighter.

"You two pendejos are making me cry!" A woman says. I look up and see Aiya, Akako and Akihiko's mom making her way towards us. "Honestly child you're going to give me more gray hair than my own kids!" Abuelo moves me from his arms into Aiya's and soon we're surrounded and smothered in hugs by the other elders.

It doesn't help my tears.

Eventually we've been hugged and kissed on the cheek by all the tíos and tías. Everyone starts making their way back to the table as Aiya drags me away from them all towards another table on the side of the room. It's filled with food of all types. Some are from Kumo, but most are from Uzushiogakure.

"Is this your mangú, tía?"

"Sí, sí," she says as she dumps a large portion of it on my plate. "Don't think Akako didn't tell me about you not eating enough at dinner last night."

"I'm sorry," I say quietly as I grab a piece of hot chicken and slip it on the plate.

"I did the same thing after my first experience as a Calavera," she says quietly.

"Tía-"

"It just takes time, mija," she says. "And I suspect that telling the Nara boy will help you with this guilt that you're carrying as well."

"I don't want to tell him in a letter 'ttbane."

"Why would you do that when he's in the village?" She asks as she puts some more food on my plate.

"I'm sorry, what?" I squeak.

"You didn't know?" She raises an eyebrow and I shake my head slowly. "Well, there goes any chance of you paying attention to the meeting."

"Hey! I'm going to pay attention!"

She just looks at me before she leads me back to the table.

I did pay attention, thank you very much. I made sure to take detailed notes of even the smallest of issues - a couple houses needing new shingles for their roofs. My notes on the upcoming celebrations were easily the most detailed. The elders had already planned everything out perfectly.

There will be a parade, dancing, plenty of food, and plenty of altars. They even saved a space for me and Naruto to make our own altar.

Which is how I ended up in a small shop on the outskirts of Kumo. A small Uesugi owned shop that focuses on selling homemade incense and candles. They've most likely been overrun in the week leading up to the celebrations, but the older woman sitting at the desk as I walk around the room doesn't seem to mind.

I shut off my sensing ability before I even got close to the shop. The amount of chakra signatures in such a small place was already overwhelming me after being alone in Uzu for so long this time.

"Kiku-chan?" A voice asks. I look up from the copal incense I was looking at and freeze.

"Hi?" I squeak as I take in who I'm looking at. His hair is up in its typical spiky ponytail. He wears a chunin vest now. His hitai-ate is tied around the top of his arm. Instead of his hands resting in his pockets with his back slumped, he stands tall.

His voice is a lot deeper, too.

My cheeks heat up as I look at him and he smiles.

"Of course you'd turn up in a busy shop at the least expected moment," he finally says. There's no bite or judgement to his words. He sounds happy.

"I-" I can't form words, I'm literally speechless as I look at him. He snorts and picks up the incense I was looking at before he grabs the small basket from my hands and adds the incense he had in his own hands to the basket.

He grabs onto my right forearm and I'm reminded of the masks that are stored there. I blink away tears - what would Shikamaru say when I told him what happened?

He pulls me towards the front of the store and we wait in silence until we're the first at the counter. I'm in a daze as Shikamaru easily pays for everything and doesn't blink an eye at the shop owner who looks at us with a knowing smirk.

It's not until we're outside and alone on a deserted training ground that I finally talk.

"I found out I might be a seduction specialist on certain missions."

"Troublesome girl," he snorts and pulls me into his chest. He smells like patchouli and the Nara forest even though we're so far away from home. "What missions?"

"There was this special squad in Uzu that dealt with Jashinists-"

"Calaveras?" The word rolls off his tongue perfectly and I lift my head up and kiss him firmly on his lips. He matches me and soon my back is pressed against the rough bark of a tree and his calloused hands from years of using weapons are running up my shirt.

Until he stops.

I groan when his hands stop moving upwards and instead move back down to rest over my hips. He smiles against my lips as he presses short kisses against them.

"You're mine," he murmurs quietly. "And you'll always come home to me." He bites my bottom lip after he finishes talking and a pitiful whine escapes me. "And they'll never see you like this," he whispers in my ear before he kisses me behind it.

"Why do you have to be so hot?" He snorts.

"I've got to try to keep up with you, sweetheart," he says and I almost swoon. He laughs as I drop my head to his shoulder. "Did you fight one, a Jashinist?" I nod against his shoulder.

"All I know is that Yugakure would ask Uzushiogakure to deal with Jashinists," Shikamaru says after a few minutes. My hand clenches in his jacket as he nuzzles his nose against my own. "I'm not going to push, you can tell me when you're ready. Do you just have to use seduction techniques with them?"

"As long as Konoha doesn't send me on any seduction missions," I say quietly.

"There's a statute that an Uzumaki can't be sent on a seduction mission," he murmurs.

"You know the council has never liked me," my voice sounds so small. And for a brief second I feel pathetic, but Shikamaru practically growls in my ear and it makes my mind go blank for a second.

"They'll hate me if they send you on one," Shikamaru finally says. "And if you do end up going on one, I expect you to come right back home to me." It's not a request or a suggestion. I shiver as I nod my head against his shoulder again. "Nu-uh, I need to hear your answer, Kikuko." He pulls his head away to rest his forehead against my own.

"If I'm sent on a seduction mission, I'll come straight home to you," I whisper. He smiles.

"Good girl," he says as he moves forward and pecks my lips one more time. My brain short circuits and I struggle to find words to speak.

"Are you trying to kill me?" I ask, breathless.

"You like it," he smirks.

"Stupid genius," I grumble as I hide my face in his flak jacket. He laughs freely and I feel my body relax against his completely. "I missed you."

"I missed you, too." His hand starts to card through my hair and I can feel myself practically melt.

"How much do I owe you for what I got in the shop-"

"Don't even think about it."

"But-"

"You're putting Shinya on your ofrenda, let me at least pay since I can't see it." I feel my heart stop. I trust Shikamaru with my everything. But if someone else knows…

"How do you-"

"Stupid genius, remember?" He asks. I snort as he pulls my head away from his chest. "There's too many redheads to not realize what's going on. Especially with the holiday coming up. I don't know where everyone is and I'm not going to try to look or tell anyone what I know."

"I know you won't," I say as I look up into his dark eyes.

"Good," he nods and I kiss him this time.

"Shikamaru?" Naruto yells. "Hey! Since when are you two together?" He whines as he runs up to us.

"I guess a little over a week?" I ask as I lean my head against Shikamaru's chest again. "Shika sent me a letter just before our birthday." Naruto rolls his eyes.

"And I'm sure he didn't actually ask you to be his girlfriend before he kissed you."

"Hey!" Shikamaru says, "she kissed me first!"

"Eh?" Naruto asks as he puts his hands on his hips. "First you read Pervy Sage's books, then you stab a zombie guy in his-"

"Naruto-"

"And then you kiss Shika? What's happened to my imouto?" Naruto whines.

"You read Icha Icha?" Ino screeches and I groan. Shikamaru sighs as he drops his head on top of mine, but I can feel he's smiling. I vaguely hear Naruto run over to greet the rest of Shikamaru's team, but I tune them out to focus on Shikamaru.

"Should've known you'd end up stabbing a guy like that at some point, you were raised by the Nara," he murmurs.

"Don't sound so proud," I whisper to him.

"But I am," he says, and his voice rings with his sincerity. "I always knew you were amazing, but you keep finding ways to remind me how talented and beautiful you really are. Besides, the idiot should've known not to touch what's mine."

"Shika."

"I should've known you'd have a praise kink by the way, no wonder you read Icha Icha~"

"Nara Shikamaru!" I screech as I hit his chest lightly. He laughs and I can't find it in me to be mad as he pulls me with him towards Ino, Choji, and Asuma.

I feel a wicked grin spread across my face and Shikamaru's brows furrow. I cackle as he sighs.

"Whatever it is, don't even think about it."

"Oh, you'll love it, Shika." I bump my shoulder against his and he looks at me for a second before a light blush dusts across his cheeks.

This is so much more fun than pranking him.