A/N: Okay I asked for three reviews and y'all did fantastic! Here is the chapter I promised after three reviews. Thank you guys so much.
Big thank you to the new favorites and followers: GaarasSexysexslave (I love your name! It's what I desperately want to be!), Neomakaydouglass, LightFun27, Kuramalover2006, Mjhoward5790, and Shiovaun
Special thank you to Shiovaun and GaarasSexysexslave for favoriting and following me as an author. I really appreciate it!
Deviliciouskitty: You don't have to thank me! You deserve all the thanks since you take time out to give me feedback. I also feel like I'm rushing their relationship; really debating over here!
Guest: Thank you for the review! There will be lots more Shika coming up, and the Gaara situation is going to escalate of course. Stay tuned (;
Crazy Devil Girl: Always good to hear from you! I did feel like I was rushing their relationship a little! You'll see why soon, however, I really had to get that out of my system before I make them go too far lol. Your prediction about your hatred for Jun may be right (;
SabineGerhart07: Thank you for your review! Ask and you shall receive! (;
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*Kabocha POV*
"You're so gonna be late, Naruto!" I yelled to the bathroom, tossing a sock ball into the air and catching it as I lounged on his bed. "Just shut up and help me find my pants!" Naruto screamed from his kitchen. I looked at the bright orange pants draped over the headboard by my head.
"They're in here." I said in a sing song voice. I sat up quickly to avoid him crashing into me. He was only in his boxers, having just finished showering and brushing his teeth.
"This is the last time I let you sleep over! The point was for you to wake me up!" I snorted at his declaration, rolling my eyes and not taking him seriously. "I made you breakfast at least." I grinned at him before slipping on my black ninja sandals.
"I barely get to enjoy it!" I could hear Naruto's muffled speech as he shoved egg and toast down his throat. "Well, I gotta go, but see you at the exams!" I giggled out leaving with a breezy wave.
"Kabo-!" I shut the door before he could finish his shouting. My ears had had enough this morning. My hearing was getting better and better with each passing day. There was no way I was going to stay and let him damage my ear drums.
I had tried to get him up seven times, and I wasn't going to let him make me late as well. I would get a lecture from Kina and Shosha would curse me out. I did a mental checklist to make sure I wasn't forgetting anything. I looked down into my pouch for only a brief moment. A solid body collided with mine.
"Oh, I'm sorry! I wasn't paying attention to where I was going-" I stopped my apology as teal eyes collided with my golden eyes. My body froze along with my tongue at his intense gaze.
"Move," was his only statement to me. I felt my face screw up from it's previous shocked expression. "Yeah, I don't think so." I growled at him. My temper flaring with the reptilian blood blaring through my veins. Shikamaru wasn't around to keep me calm, so Gaara of the Desert was in for a fight.
"What?" He raised a nonexistent eyebrow at my declaration. "I. Said. I'm. Not. Moving. You're rude. I apologized and I know you ran into me on purpose because you were paying attention." I took a step closer to emphasize my point. His curious expression changed to one of pure amazement.
"You're annoying." Gaara said in his usual raspy voice. "Likewise." I flashed him a fang filled grin. His eyes flickered down to my mouth. His gaze didn't hold anger, but the look in his eyes made my grin disappear.
"He says you're different." I tilted my head at what he said. "Whose he?" I asked furrowing my eyebrows. His blank mask returned and something moved me to the side.
"Hey!" I shouted at his retreating back. I growled when he ignored me and kept walking. Gaara of the Desert made my blood boil in a way that was unfamiliar to me. Shikamaru calmed me...it was almost like Gaara had the opposite effect. It was a scary...thrilling feeling.
"What was that about?" I jumped at the sound of Shosha's voice. "Don't do that! You scared me to Shi and back." I huffed at his grinning face. Kina giggled quietly behind her hand.
"Nothing to worry about." I said looking the direction Gaara left in. "You sure you're good?" Shosha sid starling me again with how serious he was.
"Yeah." I smiled at his concern. He was my annoying big brother, but...he was my annoying big brother that would go to war for me, and not the figurative kind either. "Well, let's get this started." Kina smiled softly at me, taking both of our hands and leading the way to the exams.
By the time we got there, there wasn't anyone around. Uncle Hikari stood resting against the exam room doors. "You guys only have fifteen minutes to mentally prepare yourselves." He smirked at us with a knowing expression. His ice blue eyes flashing to all three of us. "I know you guys are physically ready, but I need you to control your emotions out three. You only have each other, so act like it." He pushed off the doors and walked past us, stopping right behind us.
"Good luck." He said over his shoulder, taking his leave. I looked at Shosha who wore his usual scowl. Then I looked at Kina who had pursed lips, but still with her airy look about her. "Let's go." I said leading them in.
The first step in would scare any rookie...hell maybe even second year genin. The competition looked rough, but Lava shinobi were rougher. I saw a group of Lava shinobi hanging around. Four other Lava squads also entered this year.
"Yo, Boss!" Shosha's best friend Gin called waved to get my attention. I nodded towards them before coming over. "Good to see you didn't wuss out." Shosha said shoving Gin, who shoved him right back. Kina started talking to other teammates Mae and Zu. I just stood back and scratched at my continuously itchy arm.
"Hey, boss, your friend is making a racket." One of our shinobi pointed over at Konoha's rookie nine. I almost slapped my forehead at Naruto's yelling. He was drawing so much unnecessary attention to himself and his team. "Should we…" Kina trailed off looking at me.
"I say we stay here." Shosha said leaning on Gin who nodded. "Can't." I said taking out my summoning scroll. I rolled the scroll between my hands, keeping my eye on the twitchy sound shinobi. Both Kina and Shosha's eyes flickered over to where my gaze lingered. They both nodded and followed behind me as I made my way over to the gathered group of genin. They were all gathered around some white haired Konoha shinobi.
I smiled, wrapping my arms around Shikamaru's waist. His entire body tensed up until I got up on my tiptoes to nuzzle his cheek. His whole bod relaxed. "You should really warn me before you do that." He told me quietly. Even with how quiet he was being everyone still turned to look at me.
"You!" Naruto shouted pointing at me. "You are not allowed to sleep over anymore! I was almost late!" I rolled my eyes at his dramatics.
"No you weren't I showed up after you and I was still on time." We stuck our tongues out at each other. "Wait! Wait! Wait! Did you just say you spent the night at his place?!" Kiba also yelled. I felt Shikamaru tense under my grasp.
"So." I shrugged my shoulders not seeing anything wrong. Everyone's eyes widened except for mine and Naruto's. Shosha smacked me in the back of my head. I turned to glare heatedly at him. "She sleeps at my house probably once or twice a week. We've had the same routine since we were little kids." Naruto said with a bright smile.
"You sleep with this orange idiot!" Sasuke growled. "I think that's my line." Shikamaru said looking at me from the side of his eye. I looked at them both in confusion. What in the world were they talking about now.
"Who are you calling an idiot!" Naruto stepped into Sasuke's face. "You! Do you not realize what that imply!?" Sasuke was almost turning red. "No." Naruto and I said at the same time with flat expressions.
"It means you two are having sex!? God, you two are so dense." Ino screeched, I felt my face burn brighter than a thousand fires. "You better not be having sex!" Shosha waved his fist at me with Kina holding him back. "I'll kill you both!"
"No, no, no, no! Is that all you guys think about!? Naruto is like my brother! By the dragons you people and your hormones!" I covered some of my face to hide my blush. Naruto nodded furiously to agree with me, his blush just as bad as mine. I felt Shikamaru relax and Sasuke let out a breath of relief.
"Now that, that is out of the way." Shino said adjusting his glasses. "I would like to see some more information about the Lava shinobi. If you don't mind Kabuto-san, Kabocha-chan." I sighed in relief and smiled at him.
"Of course, go right ahead Shino!" I cheered glad for a change of subject . The only time I wanted to discuss sex was with Shikamaru...and sometimes Uncle Gorudo….and maybe Ino if she could keep certain things to herself.
"Sure." Kabuto said shaking his head with an amused smile. "We're going to have to talk later, troublesome woman." Shikamaru whispered to me. My cheeriness deflated and I nodded.
"Why don't we start with you Kabocha!" Choji said cheerily. I gave him a weak smile. If this man's information was good then I already knew what his cards would say about me. I wasn't too thrilled for what he was about to tell everyone.
His little card spun around and poofed revealing just my face and the number of missions I have completed. "Hmm...not much to go on besides the mission count. It says 10 D-rank, 49 C-rank, 21 B-rank, and 9 A-rank." Chatter exploded amongst our group as Kabuto announced my missions stats.
"What the hell!? Why do you have so many B-ranks, let alone A-rank missions!?" Kiba screamed, more than a little intimidated.
"Do any of you know why my village trains teams together for years at a time instead of doing the system that other hidden villages follow?" I asked taking a step away from Shikamaru so everyone could see me. Kina and Shosha stood at my back, being supportive teammates. All of them shook their heads minus Shikamaru who looked really inquisitive.
"We aren't one of the five great villages, so the missions we get are minimal. Over the last decade or so Hikari has made a name for our village so that missions can come our way, and we can sustain our way of life. Do you know what Hikari is famous for?" I asked ominously. Everyone gulped except Shosha, Kina, Maru-kun, Kabuto, and Sasuke. "Hikari is famous for assassinations, he has over three hundred assassinations. Those are just the assassinations that are accounted for. He's the shadow of the village hidden in the Lava. He single handedly made a name for our village. Since we're not well known we take what we get, and what we get is mostly what other villages don't want...assassinations." I said with a proud smile.
"Well you've certainly made a name for your village too, oh great Dragon of the West." Sasuke said sarcastically, smirking at me. Sakura fumed right beside him and I rolled my eyes, sticking my tongue out at her to rile her up further. It wasn't my fault that Sasuke had a slightly unhealthy obsession with me.
"W-wait a minute. If he's know for that...does that mean you kill people?" Kiba asked quietly. My proud smile turned into a smirk. "D-rank missions in our village are just escort missions or scroll retrievals. C-rank missions are just stepping stones into the real kill missions. C-ranks consist of tracking or reconnaissance, there's not a lot of engaging. The B-rank missions are kill assists, that means that we kill as a team. A-rank missions are solo kills. I have nine confirmed solo kills. I started doing A-ranks..around the time my mother died." I pursed my lips, trying to not let my thoughts wander to her. I didn't need to fall apart right now.
"Don't forget we're a special ops team, Bo." Shosha said leaning his elbow on the top of my head. A scowl took over my features at our obvious height difference. Shosha was a giant like father and Uncle Gorudo. I'm average height no matter what anyone said.
"That is correct. We are a wrecking crew as Hikari-sama called us once." Kina added in softly. "That doesn't sound good." Choji mumbled and Kina smiled at him.
"It really isn't. Shosha's abilities make him perfect for following in Hikari's footsteps, but he does not have the finesse that is required of an assassin. That is why we are called a wrecking crew. Our destructive prowess can not be matched." Kina explained without her smile faltering.
"B-basically...we should a-avoid y-you g-guys...n-not t-to b-be m-mean." Hinata said making her index fingers meet.
"Correct."
"Pretty much." Kina and Shosha said together. Kina blushed while Shosha grinned like a love sick ninja pup. "Avoiding! You guys should be helping-"
"No can do kid. Its every team for themselves out here. Eat or be eaten." Shosha cut off Naruto and flicked him in the throat. Naruto looked ready to murder him if Sakura hadn't punched him in the back of the head.
"You guys are something else." Kabuto said shaking his head with a smile. I rolled my eyes at everything and turned my gaze back to Shikamaru who still looked deep in thought. He hadn't said one word about me killing someone when I know that they have never killed anyone.
I had taken those missions because I wanted to know what it felt like to take someone's life after my own father tried to take my own the day of my mother's funeral.
*Flashback*
Kabocha sat at her vanity, staring at the black streaks of mascara and eyeliner trailing down her sun kissed skin. She didn't want to wear make up or heels...she didn't want to take her mother's place or use her mother's weapon. She just wanted her mother hold her like she always did during their mommy, daughter dates.
A choked sob escaped her mouth, her hand immediately going to her mouth to muffle the noise. Jun had forbidden them from crying since to him it only showed weakness. He was the leader of the village hidden in the Lava, he didn't have a weak family.
Kabocha's door opened and closed gently. She didn't even look up from her wallowing to notice that Jun had entered her room with a quiet rage. "Kabocha Kasai." Jun said in an even voice. Kabocha's head snapped up to look at him through her vanity mirror. She set her jaw even with the tears still falling freely down her face.
"My only daughter." He said undoing his black tie and the cuffs of his black sleeves. Kabocha's eyes followed his meticulous movements. "The future general of this village." He rolled his sleeves up, looking down to roll them evenly.
"The general is suppose to be my right hand besides Gorudo, whom has become as useless as a newborn. How are you supposed to be a general if you can not follow a simple order?" The tears had finally stopped falling down Kabocha's face as she turned to face Jun with a resolve harder than any dying, proud shinobi. She knew a punishment was coming for unveiling her mother's true end. She just didn't know how severe the punishment.
"ANSWER ME!" Jun roared practically breathing flames. Smoke bellowed from between his lips, yet Kabocha still did not falter nor did she flinch.
"My mother deserved more than being labeled as someone that committed suicide. It is shameful and disgrace for one of the strongest women of our village. You should be ashamed of yourself for even thinking to attach that label to her name. You are trying to cover up something that we should be burning down villages to solve. You, as her husband and supposed true love are disgraceful." Kabocha said with a vacant expression. Her bloodshot eyes dead, but never looking away from him.
His beat red, angry face became clear. His tense body loosened and a calm smile covered his face. Kabocha was more than a little alarmed at his unnatural calmness. "Interesting you should say that." Kabocha's eyes widened at the speed of his hands signs. He was actually going to use dragon's breath with her this close and defenseless. She immediately started doing the hand signs for the dragon scales to protect herself if even a little, but it was a jutsu she was nowhere near perfecting and she was slow at the unfamiliar hand signs.
The scream that tore through the castle was one unlike any other. Kabocha lay on her side, the smell of charred flesh and burning clothes overwhelming her senses. The scales that had partially protected her flaking away into thin air. She couldn't even take a deep breath or gauge how deep the wound was. The pain was excruciating even more so as she watched Jun turn his back and begin to walk out her room.
"The next time you disobey me. I will make sure I finish what I started here." Jun said over his shoulder and walked away. She could hear sprinting and screaming. She assumed it was Shosha as her eyes closed. Her eyes began to roll into her head, but instead of the concerned golden eyes she was looking into two sets of eyes. One pair of red eyes and one pair of ice blue eyes.
*End Flashback*
"Bo." Shosha whispered. startling me from that painful memory. The scar bringing sensations of phantom pain. I shook my head lightly and glanced at my older brother.
"I know." I said nudging Kina's hand in warning since she couldn't hear what Shosha and I heard. The wrapped up sound ninja I had been keeping my eye on took a swing at Kabuto. I frowned as he dodged, but still seemed to be injured. "Say the word, boss." I heard Gin say and I looked over at him. He said it lightly since he knew I could hear him.
"Sho. Ki." I whispered after shaking my head at Gin and then motioned to my teammates. All of the genin looked at us a little confused. "Summoning jutsu!" I said loudly, smoke appeared letting Shosha, Kina, and I meet the sound ninja over by Kabuto. Metal on metal could be heard as I hit the wrapped shinobi with the base of Aisuru kaze, letting the blades stay between us.
Shosha had the spiky haired boy lying useless on his stomach after using his special fighting style to take him out, his foot resting on top of him. Kina had the girl on her knees with her staff under her chin and tilting her head back. The smoke cleared from my summons and a lot of the shinobi were in shock.
"Well, well. I was hoping we got your attention." The man's deep voice said almost mocking me. I didn't know if he was a man or teenager, what with all of the bandages. A lot of people seemed to be mocking me nowadays. I couldn't wait for the fighting portion of the chunin exams. Everyone but my fellow lava shinobi and Sasuke were surprised by my scythe.
"Now that you have my attention. What are you planning on doing with it?" I asked leaning closer with an annoyed frown. "We just wanted to see what the Lava shinobi are made of, and by the looks of it, it isn't much." He said with a chuckle.
"You definitely shouldn't be talking considering your team was taken down by theirs! Believe it!" Naruto shouted with a proud grin making me smile. "I hate to agree with him, but he's got a point. All of this yelling and fighting is a drag. Kabocha, you shouldn't be picking fights when we're not even to that part of the exam yet." Shikamaru said finally snapping out of his thoughts. I looked over at him and his bored expression, but saw in his eyes I saw where he wanted me to be.
I shrugged and moved away from the wrapped ninja to put away Aisuru Kaze. "What? Just like that?" Wrapped man asked annoyed and I shrugged again. I knew I had a love sick smile on my face, but I couldn't help it especially with the sly expression Shikamaru just gave me. My longtime crush was not only trying to protect me, but he wanted me by his side. Shosha and Kina also backed off, looking at each other with knowing expressions.
I walked back over to my crush latching my hand to his with a slight blush. "You are so whipped." Shosha hissed in my ear with no malice. Kina slapped his arm with a sweet smile.
"Sounds like you then! I think it's incredibly sweet." Kina said with a gentle smile. Sasuke and Kiba looked at Shikamaru and I with narrowed eyes. Ino squealed with a victorious grin. "Are you two finally together!" She screamed shaking me. Naruto and Sakura were arguing about us in the background, helping Kabuto up at the same time.
"Well...uh...actually, you see…" I trailed off not knowing how to explain our complicated relationship. "Troublesome woman." Shikamaru grumbled with a blush and looking away from Ino.
Before the conversation could get any further another cloud of smoke took over the room. "Alright, pipe down you baby faced degenerates!" A deep voice resonated around the room. It looks like the exams are finally starting.
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Thank you so much for the feedback y'all! See you guys in three reviews again! I really appreciate hearing from you all!