Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Methodology

Qualitative, quantitative, mixed-methods. There are different ways, different frameworks, to examine a question and find an answer. However, it can be challenging to fit the right methodology to the right question. Multiple factors have to be considered when deciding how a hypothesis will be tested and data collected; the research question, your objectives, what has already been attempted, and the limitations of each method. Most importantly, a method must be decided on and a research procedure laid out before any experiments can take place.


Breaking and entering was a skill most commonly used in espionage and assassination missions. Meaning, as a T&I agent, I didn't have much practice. Therefore, tonight's mission required the right sort of backup. "Thanks for agreeing to this", I said as Chouji approached. It was dark. The only light came from a street lamp on the main road. It barely reached us in the back alley.

"No problem", Chouji assured as he stepped closer; fishing a key out of his pocket. He wasn't alone. Yawning broadly, Shikamaru shuffled behind. It was late. So late, only the bars were still open. As such, it was a time when most Naras were fast asleep.

"Troublesome", he complained; rubbing sleepily at his eyes. "Asuma-Sensei has us training all day and now this".

"You didn't have to come", I pointed out as Chouji found the key and inserted it into the lock. "I only needed Chouji's help".

Shikamaru pinned me with a very unimpressed and distrusting look. "You asked to Chouji to let you break into his mom's restaurant. Stuff like this means you need all the help you can get".

I returned Shikamaru's look with a deadened stare. Gee, Shikamaru. Tell me how you really feel. The side door leading to the kitchen swung open as Chouji moved to the side to let us enter first. "Why do you make me sound stupid", I broke first; entering the restaurant before Shikamaru. My feet were silent as they stepped onto the concrete floor.

"We don't think you're stupid, Rion", Chouji soothed as he continued to hold open the door for Shikamaru.

"No", Shikamaru grumbled in disagreement as Chouji followed; closing and locking the door behind him. "If something doesn't involve numbers, Rion's as bad as Ino".

Wow, I don't think I've ever been more insulted in this life. "Lucky for me, numbers can be applied to most things", I said over my shoulder; moving toward Chiharu's office. Note to self, Shikamaru is an absolute grouch when his sleep is interrupted.

Working in my favor, Chiharu didn't lock her office door. So, it was only a matter of finding the light switch. As soon as I did, eye-aching fluorescent light flooded the space. Revealing a paper-covered desk and disorganized filing cabinets. Damn. This would take longer than I thought.

"What are you looking for?" Chouji asked; standing in the door frame as Shikamaru yawned in the background.

Flipping through some loose papers, I took my time answering. These were expense reports. But why were the dates out of order? Shaking my head to rid myself of unhelpful, anal thoughts, I looked up at Chouji and Shikamaru. "A log book. Maybe a calendar. Whatever your mom uses to keep track of who's working when. Do you know where something like that would be?"

Chouji scratched the back of his head. "No, sorry".

"Why do you want it?" Shikamaru asked as I continued searching.

A list of inventory. Bills from the grocer and butcher. Recipe index cards… A romance novel with a shirtless dude on the cover. "I need to see if Anzu's working during the tournament".

"Why?" Chouji pressed. Asking the next logical question.

"Because if Anzu's working, she can't watch the matches", I explained distractedly; picking up a mock menu design. If Anzu worked during the tournament, she won't fall victim to genjutsu. Meaning she won't be left vulnerable as ninja battled above her. And, as an added bonus, the shelters were closer to the restaurant than our apartment. If there had to be an invasion, the safest place for Anzu would be here.

Shikamaru sighed and I didn't have to look up to know he was running a tired hand over his face. "This has to do with Orochimaru and that Kabuto guy", he deduced; voice sharper than before. As Chouji flinched, I stilled; holding a checkbook in both hands. "Did you find out something new?"

"No", I answered; exchanging the check book for… I don't know what this was. But it was covered in soy sauce stains. "I tried bribery. But no one's talking". Shikamaru snorted. "What about you? Has your dad said anything?"

Shikamaru shook his head as Chouji looked back and forth between us; worrying his bottom lip. Though he trusted us enough to not feel the need to interject his own thoughts. "But the old man's been busier than normal". Which translates to: the village is undergoing something.

Staring down at the stained paper in my hands, I tried to determine what I could say and how I should say it. Shikamaru saw us as friends. That familiarity would allow me to get away with a little. But I couldn't just sprout off stuff without having a reason to know them. Shrewd as he was, Shikamaru would eventually find the motivation to question me about it.

"It's not difficult to predict", I settled on; returning to digging through Chiharu's desk. "Orochimaru warned the village to not stop the chunin exams. We know he's after Sasuke. But, Forest of Death aside, he hasn't done anything yet".

"Making the tournament the most likely target", Shikamaru finished for me.

Chouji shifted his weight anxiously. "If you two know something's coming, the Hokage will too, right? He'll have a plan".

Looking up at the ceiling, Shikamaru stretched out his neck. "Troublesome", he complained.

So, I took it upon myself to explain. "There probably is a plan, but not one they'll share with us lowly genin". Shaking my head in annoyance, I finally dug to the bottom of the papers and spotted the dark-stained oak of Chiharu's desktop. Being kept in the dark was maddening. Especially when having suspicions. But secrecy wasn't unusual. It was the safest way to keep information away from our enemies.

Right on top of the desktop was a desk calendar. One of those big paper ones that went month by month and each day was a big square. "Found it", I announced as I traced the numbered days with my finger until landing on the day of the tournament. Anzu's name wasn't listed with those who'd be on shift. Okay. Now I just needed to find a pencil…

It was quiet for a long moment as I tried to find a pencil. This shouldn't be a difficult task, but… It's amazing this office hasn't gotten the restaurant in trouble as a health and safety violation. "Should we…" Chouji started to say; forming his words slowly. "Make our own plan?"

I glanced up from my search where I found everything but a pencil; eyeing Chouji. Shikamaru did the same. His lips downturned as he drew conclusions I'd never see. Chouji's suggestion was empathetic in a way I struggled to wrap my head around. Who was he thinking of when mentioning the idea? His family? His Friends? The village in general?

"That's going to be near impossible", I said; turning back to the search. There were no pencils in the desk drawer. You know, the place where it made sense to store pencils. "We don't have enough information. And the only things I've been able to work out is that something is likely to happen during the tournament and Anko thinks the civilians will need to use the emergency shelters".

Frown still present, Shikamaru turned his calculating stare to me. "And Auntie Chiharu's restaurant is close to the shelters". I didn't look up from searching. Sometimes, it's unnerving how quickly Shikamaru can piece together my intentions. "With most of the genin attending the tournament, there'll be few ninja available to help the civilians reach the shelters".

During times of crisis, the jounin lead, the chunin carried the brunt of their commands, and the genin were tasked with keeping civilians safe and out of the higher ranks way. It was typically genin work to clear neighborhoods, help those too young or old in getting to the shelters in a timely manner, and crowd control once in the shelters. It was another thing the second Hokage put in place during his tenure; recognizing how secure and happy civilians positively affected the village's economy. But I felt there was a second reason behind the logic. It was also a way to keep genin from dying prematurely.

Rolling his shoulders, Shikamaru continued. "I'm fighting, so I can't ditch. But Chouji, Rion, you guys don't have to be there".

Glancing up, I paused. The implications Shikamaru was suggesting were obvious… to me. But did I want that? Chouji was safe while trapped under the genjutsu. And while helping civilians evacuate was low risk, there was still risk.

Chouji's eyes were on me. I didn't realize it until I returned to my search for a pencil. "I'm going to find something to eat". Chouji excused himself; disappearing from sight a second later.

"Don't", I called after him as my hand wrapped around what I was searching for. But why did Chiharu only have one pencil? A business definitely should have more than one. "We're leaving soon and what if your mom notices missing inventory?"

But Chouji didn't reappear. Instead, Shikamaru and I heard the sound of a pot clanging against the stove and other bits and pieces being thrown about. "We can't plan on empty stomachs", he called back; his voice echoing off the tile of the kitchen.

Shikamaru stood with a slumped posture; glancing out the doorframe as he tracked Chouji's movements. His lack of response cued me in on his intentions. Despite his lazy attitude, Shikamaru was vocal about his opinions.

"If something does go down, isn't it better for you and Ino if Chouji is close by?" I tried; turning back to the calendar. Okay, now to copy Chiharu's handwriting. There were three characters in Anzu's name. So, I just had to find them and replicate them… Why weren't there any lessons in forgery at the academy? It would be so useful right now.

Whistling could be heard from the kitchen. Soon followed by the sound of something sizzling as flavorful aromas started wafting through the air. My stomach rumbled in response as Shikamaru pushed away from the doorframe and stepped further into the office. "Again. You need all the help you can get", Shikamaru drawled as he watched me repeatedly hover the fine point of the pencil over the calendar before retreating. Why was this so hard?

Sighing in frustration, I looked up and scowled. Looks like we'd be here longer than I anticipated. Probably until we ate Chouji's cooking and addressed concerns. "Do you know how to forge Chiharu's handwriting?"

Snorting, Shikamaru walked around the desk and plucked the pencil out of my hand as if it couldn't easily be used as a sharp stabby and/or projectile weapon. "You know, they taught forgery at the kunoichi lessons", Shikamaru shared; sliding up close. Our shoulders brushed against each other as we both peered down at the calendar. Shikamaru carefully constructed characters in a style drastically different from his normal lazy scrawl. And I watched just to assure myself no mistake was made.

The kunoichi-specific lessons the academy offered had some useful knowledge; forgery, blending in, learning the customs of the other countries, and communicating through flowers. But I stand by my childhood decision to refuse to attend for a few reasons:

1. I didn't want to.

2. I still don't want to.

3. Being proficient in the kunoichi arts increased my chances of being sent on… a certain type of mission. And given my family background, that was one possibility I didn't want to be entertained by anyone.

"Then why do you know how to copy handwriting?" I challenged; as Shikamaru made the last curve in the last character of Anzu's name.

Finished, Shikamaru placed the pencil back where I'd found it. A pained expression graced his face as I started burying the calendar in a disarray of different stuff once again. "Mom made me learn".

The lack of detail gave me permission to use my imagination. The image of Yoshino shoving a lesson on the language of flowers and ikebana down Shikamaru's throat filled my head. A laugh bubbled up and caught in my throat, forcing it to come out as a sort of choked guffaw.

Shikamaru pinned me with a look that had no effect as the sounds and wonderful smells continued to travel from the kitchen. The familiarity of this arrangement struck me with a completely foreign thought. In a way, it was unfortunate I couldn't tell them the full truth. They might be the only ones I'd be able to entrust it to.


Chouji made a stir fry with the ingredients he could find. The onions were perfectly done. Somehow, he timed the rice and fixings to finish cooking at the same time. I'd say his only mistake was being a little heavy-handed with the soy sauce.

Leaving dishes in the sink to be washed before we left, the three of us made our way to the front of the restaurant. Leaving the lights off, we picked a booth farthest from the windows. Shikamaru and I occupied one side of the table and Chouji the other.

We each had a serving in front of us. But the freshly cooked food didn't interest Shikamaru as much as it did Chouji and me. Having been trained by this point, Shikamaru waited for Chouji and me to take our first bites before broaching the subject at hand. Body angled towards me, Shikamaru said, "Rion, tell us what you're thinking".

Chewing slowly, I bought myself time; staring down at my plate as Chouji shoveled his larger portion into his mouth. Leave it to Shikamaru to suspect I hadn't shown my hand all at once. Swallowing, I sighed before reiterating, "We know Orochimaru is involved. We know the higher-ups are on edge. Orochimaru made it clear he didn't want the chunin exams to be canceled, and-"

"His target is Sasuke", Shikamaru continued for me. Probably to speed me up. "Making the tournament to most likely time to act. What else?" He prompted.

I shook my head. "That's all I know". Shikamaru narrowed his eyes as Chouji continued to eat. "But there's a few things we can predict". I said, speaking quickly before Shikamaru could test any suspicions. "His interest in Sasuke and not wanting the exams canceled means he wants Sasuke to fight".

Chouji finished his meal and paused to listen as his plate sat empty in front of him. "And if Orochimaru wants Sasuke to fight in the tournament, he'll probably be there to watch", Shikamaru followed my line of thinking.

"Which we can reason as likely because we know he's already infiltrated the village", I continued; bothering my bottom lip as Shikamaru pushed his untouched plate in Chouji's direction. "So, whatever Orochimaru is concocting, it likely won't happen until Sasuke's match or after".

Thanking Shikamaru, Chouji dug into the second serving. I was allowed a few bites from my own serving as Shikamaru said, "Saskue's match is scheduled to go second. Ino and Naruto are up first. They'll probably have chakra exhaustion and won't be much help". It was a reasonable statement and easily believed. Did Shikamaru know about Naruto's jinchuriki status? If he doesn't, I think he'll find out soon. "Putting Shino and me in the best position to respond. Troublesome".

I understood the sentiment. Shame there wasn't a way I could logically deduce that Sasuke would be late to his match and that Kankuro would forfeit to Shino. Otherwise, Shikamaru could plan for a situation where he too had to contend with chakra exhaustion during an invasion. "There's no point in planning what to do at the tournament", I argued; moving food around my plate. "Anything we think of could get canceled out by orders".

Shikamaru let out a grumbling grunt. Telling me he agreed. "What about Kiba, Hinata, and the others?" Chouji asked; his focus on Shikamaru.

Shifting so his back could lean against the wall and the table could be used as an armrest, Shikamaru sighed. "If they're at the tournament, they'll receive orders too". Or they'd be put to sleep by a well-deployed genjutsu. Not that I could share that little tidbit.

"But if we tell them not to go to the tournament-" Chouji started.

I was shaking my head before he could finish. "Not everyone knows about Orochimaru. And the more people we tell, the greater the chance of information going where we don't want it to". While it was doubtful the movements of genin would interest Orochimaru very much or the ninja from Suna, our actions could inadvertently screw up whatever the high-ups had in the works. There was no need to make a bad situation worse. Especially when we didn't have enough information to mitigate risk.

"And when it gets out we shared classified information, we'd be in trouble", Shikamaru added; tilting his head back until it thumped against the wall. His eyes were closed as Chouji and I watched him in silence. Each of us recognized that he was walking himself through his thoughts.

I 'officially' knew about Orochimaru because I had been there when Anko made the discovery. And taking part in Kabuto's initial interrogation allowed me to know things as well. Shikamaru and Chouji knew because of their involvement with team seven in the forest of death. As was confirmed when they got called into T&I to make statements. Which meant Team Gai and Team Eight were currently not allowed to know. Leaving Sakura as the only person we could possibly utilize. But did we want to? Could she keep information like this to herself? Besides, there was already a role for her.

"Alright", Shikamaru said after a moment. He opened his eyes and looked at Chouji and me in turn. Causing Chouji to sit upright while I hunched my shoulders. "Chouji will miss the tournament. You two can help with the evacuations. It doesn't make sense for all of us to be trapped in the stadium if Orochimaru attacks. If I can get away, I'll join you with whoever I can grab. Things will go faster if we work as a team". Shikamaru stared pointedly in my direction.

Causing me to huff and look away. Yay, yay. Play nice with others. Message received. "Bring Shino with you", I grumbled. "He'll be able to find us the fastest". Partially because his nest reacted to my chakra and partially because I still suspect he has a bug planted on me. Besides, if things play out as I think they will, Shikamaru will be too busy with a different matter to hunt us down. Shino too.

Shikmaru grunted in confirmation, as I turned to Chouji. Two empty plates sat in front of him. His lips were set in a serious line that blended with the gentle glint in his eyes. "We can spend the day here. Make sure your mom and my sister get to the shelters right away and go from there".

Nodding, Chouji glanced around his mother's restaurant. Taking in and appreciating the familiar sight. Even while in the dark. This place was just as much a part of Chouji's childhood as his house was. But I know it was the people who frequented here that held his thoughts. Not the building itself. "Thanks, Rion"

I blinked; back stiffening as we made eye contact. Why would he… When both the question and any possible answer evaded me, I looked away. "I should be thanking you".

The light flicked on. My pupils strained at the sudden illumination, but I noticed the figures standing in the doorframe leading to the kitchen right away. So did Chouji and Shikamaru. Both boys immediately stiffened as nervous expressions grew on their faces.

"Shikamaru Nara!" Yoshino barked as she stood shoulder to shoulder with Chiharu; her hands on her hips. Shikamaru flinched and from my peripherals, I could see him shirking behind me.

Chiharu tsked as shook her head at us. "I approve of having a midnight snack. But this is going too far. Chouji, you'll give yourself indigestion".