Very gently, the fingertips of the Medic-Nin ran over my scarred back. She was so careful that I almost did not notice it. With a tense look Sensei Genma observed the events. He was responsible for my training today in Kakashi's place. It wouldn't start until the evening, but strangely enough he had insisted on coming along to look at the injuries. It was uncomfortable to sit in front of him so lightly dressed, but he didn't seem to care. His eyes were just glued to my back.

„Good, your scars have healed a bit, but still not completely gone. That will probably never happen." A hint of pity resonated in her voice. I swallowed down the rising anger. That was the last thing I needed. Pity. Because no one knew how I felt because what I had experienced hadn't happened to him. Not even Naruto. I was alone in that. I didn't know anyone who had been so hurt and even threatened with death by his father.

A cracking sound made me look up. Genma had clenched his fingers into fists, so hard that the knuckles stood out white. A rage stood in the eyes of the otherwise so calm ninja, as I had seen it so far only with my father. Only that, this one was not directed at me.

„Have you talked to Akaya yet?" I winced when he mentioned my father's name. How did he know him? „Yes ... at least we tried. But he won't let anyone get close to him and says almost nothing." My eyebrows drew together. He said almost nothing. That was strange. But maybe that was just one of his weird phases.

„And ... when I talk to him," Genma asked. His voice trembled with suppressed anger. The Medic-Nin seemed to notice, for she took a step back. „I doubt that will help, after all, they haven't spoken to him in years." The brown haired one gritted his teeth. „Yeah, but that's also because he forbid me to stay away from his family." He glanced at me.

„Sorry Tora, I need to get out for some air."

I nodded, befuddled. He was really shaken up. I had never seen him like that before. Well, I didn't know Genma that long either. And what he had said about my family. How well did he know my father? What did the two of them have to do with each other? This one question was now buzzing around in my head. And there was only one way to find out the answer. I had to ask Genma about it, whether he wanted to or not.

„So how was the investigation?" asked Naruto curiously. I shrugged my shoulders. „Well. The scars healed reasonably well. But as for my father and the connection to it, they haven't made the slightest bit of progress." Puzzled, he looked at me. „My father doesn't talk. Or at least he's not coming clean about what's behind all this. I, for one, still suspect it's a jutsu. But the only one who believes me so far is Kakashi." Helplessly, I looked at him.

„Don't worry. It's not just him. I believe you too, for real now." He grinned wryly at me. I smiled slightly. It was nice that he believed me, only unfortunately that didn't get us any further.

„So, the topic of the exam will be the jutsu of transformation." I breathed a sigh of relief. At least I had practiced this jutsu with Naruto. Hopefully, the Uzumaki would be able to concentrate enough and, most importantly, take the exam seriously. When I looked at his current mood, it really wasn't in top form. Inwardly, I just hoped for him that it would turn out in his favour this time and that the later hopefully positive result would also make him concentrate more on school instead of pranks.

„Tora! Will you please come forward?" I took a deep breath and straightened up. Take it easy.

Grinning, I sat in my seat and watched the rest of the contestants. Naruto had really done it. Not perfectly, but at least in such a way that Sensei Iruka had seemed quite surprised. But that was almost an understatement. His gaze had immediately flitted to me afterwards because Naruto had turned into me. I had ignored the whispering of my classmates. Let them make as many assumptions and rumors as they wanted. Naruto and I were friends. Finished from. No more and no less. Especially since I had no intention of ever falling in love. Because of my inner fear that the one might become such a person as my father was. Annoyed, I brushed these thoughts aside. I was still far away from such a thing. Should that ever happen to me at all.

I continued to listen attentively to Sensei Iruka's lessons. Previously, I had never really been interested in the material that was taught to us in the academy. That had changed. Because now I knew that many of the things that we were taught there were essential for survival. During my time as a thief, I had been able to apply some of it and that had taught me better.

„How can anyone be so interested in all that stuff? It's all so boring," Shikamaru said with such an agonized groan that you would think he was in pain. But with him it was rather the boredom together with the phantom pains, which he imagined. I grinned. Even though he was often in a bad mood, I liked the Nara. He wasn't annoying like an Ino or arrogant like Sasuke. But rather just pleasant.

J„ust because I take a lot of notes doesn't mean I'm interested in all that stuff," I said with a grin. „The reason is just that I know I might need some of it later. Knowledge is precious, but it's still not everything." "If you say so. In a fight, isn't some strategy better than knowledge." I nodded. „That may well be true, but don't you also need a certain amount of knowledge for your strategy?" At this, Shikamaru seemed unable to say anything more and let out an unwilling growl. „Maybe you're right, but even so, I don't understand how anyone can willingly put up with this stuff."

I laughed.

„Believe me Shikamaru. A few years ago, I would have said, you're crazy if you'd told me that." Astonished and honestly interested, he looked up. „Like that, why?" I froze in motion and bit my lip in annoyance. Crap. Now I had blabbed. But that I also always had to talk so much.

„Doesn't matter," I muttered and turned away. But all the rest of the time, I felt Shikamarus questioning gaze boring into my side. And once again I was faced with a decision. Just now I had started to make friends with Shikamaru. Did I want to destroy the whole thing again by revealing my secret? Or would it even help me solidify it? I didn't know. Maybe it was better to wait and see how the whole thing would develop in the future.

Restlessly, I slid back and forth in my seat, waiting until class was over. Since I had expressed myself clumsily to Shikamaru concerning my past, several days had passed. For a long time, I had pondered and weighed different possibilities. And finally, I had decided. Shikamaru would learn about my secret. Although a small voice in my head still tried to warn me. But my feeling told me something else. Trust. I trusted the Nara. And if he really saw something like a friend, then he would not tell any secret. Because I could still vaguely remember that Shikamaru had been Choji's only friend in the past and had always stood by him when the others had made fun of him. A gesture in such young years, which certainly not everyone would have done.

I exhaled with relief as the ringing of the school bell rang through our classroom. It was time to tell Shikamaru the truth. While it was uncertain how he would react, I was sure that he would not betray me to our classmates. Such a thing was not in Shikamarus nature and I was more than happy for that. One by one, my classmates left the room. Impatiently I watched Sensei Iruka, who collected his material and finally left the room with a quick step, without looking back at us. Now only Shikamaru and I were left. It was about time. My view wandered to my bench neighbour. He was dozing off. Naruto had already left. But I would find him when I was done. The Uzumaki was not to be overlooked.

Carefully, I nudged the Nara. „Shikamaru. Hey." Grumbling unwillingly, the opened his eyes and looked at me disgruntled.

„What?"

I gulped. „You wanted to know something from me earlier in class. I'll tell you." Surprised, he looked at me. "But not here. So far, only Naruto knows about it, and I don't want any other pair of curious ears to get wind of it." I left out the fact that Sensei Iruka, Kakashi, Genma, and the Hokage still knew about it. Shikamaru would still find out about the whole thing later. The latter mumbled something that sounded similar to a yes.

„Good, then we can get going."

„How much further are you going to take me into the forest? This is really annoying," Shikamaru grumbled. But I did not let myself be distracted. I went deeper and deeper into the bushes. My goal was my former hiding place. There, no one would be able to eavesdrop on us.

„So, here it is." No sound escaped the Nara. He simply looked around. Looked and analysed. „ What do you think this is?", I asked. „It looks like a hiding place. And the one who owns it apparently didn't want to be found if he's hiding this far in the woods." Nodding, I acknowledged his words. „Who do you think it belongs to." Shikamaru shrugged his shoulders. „Probably some thief or something." „Not quite," I said, taking a deep breath.

„The intangible."

Silence reigned. Then Shikamaru started laughing. Perplexed, I blinked at him. What was that all about? „This is a trick, isn't it? You're just showing off. Do you know how annoying that is?" I bit my tongue. How could I have assumed that he would take all of this from me right away. Shikamaru wasn't that stupid and immediately believed every word. I shook my head. Now just don't get side-tracked.

„What kind of ability do you think the intangible has, for the fact that no one has ever been able to catch it?"

My counterpart seemed surprised by the quick change. „Possibly, is she particularly fast or ..." he faltered. „No, that can't be actually, maybe a special Kekkei Genkai or something has ... but actually we already know all of them." I shook my head. „Not all of them." Now it came down to this.

I concentrated and made my body disappear before his eyes. Shikamaru gasped softly. „You, nah, I don't think so." Slowly, I made myself visible again. „Oh yes you do. You can ask the Hokage if you don't want to believe me." But the Nara waved it off. „It's okay. I believe you. But I suspected much earlier that there was something different about you." Questioningly, I tilted my head.

„Why?"

„Well. In the fight against Kiba, for example. You didn't use any jutsus, or your ability, even though you could have easily defeated him with it. That fact alone confused me. But there is something else that made me think of this. I know you from before. Once upon a time you were in our class, weren't you?"

I nodded. Somehow it had been obvious that Shikamaru would find out or suspect that he knew me. „I vaguely remember your father coming into the classroom. The guy was all upset. But something was weird." Questioningly, I looked at him.

„His eyes were unnaturally red. Not like he was crying - I mean he was - but it looked like he had put something in his eyes to make it look that way. Unfortunately, nobody believed me at that time. You're crazy, they said." „You were right," I said. „It was my father's fault that I never showed up." „What happened?" Honestly interested, he looked at me and I began to tell.

Slain, Shikamaru lay in the grass. „I just can't get over the fact that fathers can be so cruel." A slight smile crept onto my lips. "No wonder Shikamaru, you grew up well guarded for..." The Nara interrupted me. „Well-guarded? Have you ever seen how my mother can go off and father twitches under her? Sometimes I just don't believe those two got married," he growled, annoyed.

„You know, I think the exact same thing about my parents. My dad is a monster. I just can't understand how my mom could turn into such a person ..." I didn't finish the sentence. „You know what?" asked Shikamaru as he watched the passing clouds. „I don't know if I ever plan to get married. Women are all exhausting ... except for you." I grinned. If that wasn't a compliment.

„I know what you mean. You're not alone in thinking that. I don't plan on ever falling in love. What if the person turns into such a monster as Father? I can really do without that." Shikamaru straightened up. „Or become a fury like my mother? Nah, thanks. So, I try to stay out of the way." He grinned. „Then I'm not alone in that for once. Good to know." I laughed. „So now we're swearing off love forever and ever, so to speak?" Shikamaru hummed in agreement. „And Tora ... thanks for telling me."

„Sure, that's what friends do."