❀SᕼIKᗩᗰᗩᖇᑌ ᑎᗩᖇᗩ's ᗪᗩY ᑕOᑌᒪᗪᑎ'T GET ᗩᑎY ᗯOᖇᔕE. TᕼEᑎ IT ᗪIᗪ.❀

[17]

 

Shikamaru

Another day in sunny Konoha. Shikamaru walked along the streets at his slow pace, not at all in a hurry. It was his first day of work as a Chunin and the lazy genius wasn't exactly looking forward to all the extra duties that came with such a title.

"What a pain..." Shikamaru sighed and looked up at the passing fluffy clouds. He'd like to be one of them right now instead of a Chunin. Too much responsibility, duties...and effort. If he never had another mission it would be too soon. His luck wouldn't last however; he had a summons to fulfill. The grouchy Hokage most likely would send him on a mission to lands annoying.

 Maybe she'd forget about him. That would be wonderful. 

As he rounded a corner, hands shoved deeply in his pockets, Shikamaru spotted bright green hair flowing by. Hey..it's that girl. Nikko. He recalled vaguely.

Oh well.

The boy continued his leisurely path towards his destination but saw her again. She carried a book in one hand and a bag of what appeared to be clothes in the other. It was easy to deduce she had just came from the laundromat nearby.

Nikko dropped her book and bent to pick it up.

From his position Shikamaru could see that the upside title was a guide book to Shogi. She's reading that? Could it be for our match? He watched her a moment before shaking his head. What a silly girl she seemed to be.

"Nikko-chan!" A voice shouted.

Oh great; it was Naruto Uzumaki. Shikamaru watched him jog over to the girl and startle her senseless. Her things fell to the sidewalk and she squeaked. "Eee! N-Naruto, you scared me!"

"Heh sorry 'bout that."

They bent and gathered her things. Naruto looked at her book curiously then frowned. "Hey...this wouldn't happen to be for that date with Shikamaru-kun would it?" 

"E-Eh? A-Ah--" Nikko withdrew into herself. "...What if it is?"

"Grr! Hey, you can't go out with him you hear me? I'm your boyfriend!" Naruto stomped his foot childishly and pouted. The girl bit her lip and mumbled something to which the boy retorted, "Yeah yeah, curse and all that. I already told you I'd take care of everything! So there's no need for anyone else. Got that?"

"N-Naruto..." Nikko looked both ways, "Please stop. You're embarrassing me..."

"Hmp! Are you ashamed to be seen with me or something?"

"N-No! It's just--we're out in the open and--"

From the looks of things the girl was being peer pressured. That was Shikamaru's deduction. He sighed and shook his head; not his circus, not his monkeys. As he turned to head another direction to the office and away from the drama that came along with Naruto he heard a thud. Shikamaru glanced over his shoulder and saw the girl holding her mouth, pale cheeks bright crimson. It looked like Naruto had tried to kiss her as the boy was on his bottom.

"W-What the heck was that for?" The fox boy asked angrily. 

"S-Stop! N-Naruto doesn't understand!" 

The girl took off running, leaving her things behind on the sidewalk. Naruto followed chase. 

"What a mess..." Shikamaru said with much fatigue, "glad I dodged that bullet."

He looked down at her things left for anyone to take. Two kimonos, some undergarments, and the book on Shogi. Shikamaru clenched his eyes with annoyance, "Mannn...she could have at least took her stuff too. What a drag..." 

With much reluctance the chunin Nara went over and collected her fallen goods. He'd drop them off to the Hokage to save himself the effort of finding where she lived. 

Shikamaru eventually made it to the Hokage's office and knocked on her door, leaving Nikko's things by it.

 

"Enter."

He sighed and went on in, seeing the big breasted woman shuffling papers around on her desk. One fluttered down near his sandal and the boy grabbed it, momentarily glancing at what appeared to be a report.

Something about an Utsuri clan member and her daily activities.  

The lazy boy genius concluded that the Hokage was keeping tabs on whoever that was, and from the quick perusal...he paused. Kiba--a grill--Naruto's home-- he sighed. Yep; it was about that girl Nikko all right.

"Here, you dropped this," he said to Tsunade.

"Thanks. I'm up to my neck in paperwork again. I can never catch a break." Tsunade held her head and shook it, "Anyway. I've got a new mission to assign you, Shikamaru Nara."

"Yeah?"

The Hokage looked over the paper he'd passed along and grimaced. "I'm afraid it won't be easy. But I have full confidence you'll do what's necessary."

The boy pinched his nose. He had a bad feeling...

"This girl--" she tapped her paper, "Utsuri Nikko, is being followed by two samurai for hire. We haven't managed to figure out what their end goal is of yet..."

Shikamaru waited for the other shoe to fall. It eventually did: "I need you to look after her. In the shadows. Our other two jonin on the job were found dead this morning."

He was about to protest but the Hokage shouted: "Shizune-san!"

The dark haired attendant came in with a clipboard. She seemed to be scurrying around as usual. "Lady Hokage," she bowed, "I have the paperwork here."

"Look this over." Tsunade motioned for him to take the clipboard.

He grabbed the clipboard and read the gist of it. It seemed the girl was up to her neck in trouble. The Land of Tea wasn't a shinobi village, but she'd somehow managed to get caught up in both Konoha and Sunagakure. Not only drama followed her apparently. "What a drag," he sighed in resignation. "Do I have to?"

"Yes! We don't have any free jonin or chunin left right now. Her identity is to be kept classified. All you need to know is that she's in danger, and our enemy won't stop until she'd dead. He may even be involved in this mess." Tsunade's golden eyes narrowed. 

"He?"

She folded her hands over her chin and glared. "Orochimaru."

A chill went down Shikamaru's spine. The situation just became an even bigger drag than he thought possible.

 

Nikko

 

"Wait! I said wait, Nikko-chan!"

Naruto caught up to her and grabbed her hand. The girl stopped running and blinked away tears of embarressment. Her frustration at the fox boy was rather obvious; he'd not listened to her one moment since earlier in the morning. Always telling her 'it was fine, that was fine, everything was fine!' It wasn't fine--not one bit! 

Nikko couldn't contain her emotions any longer.

"Just go away," she whimpered.

"No! I won't--!" He spun her to face him and gave her a tight hug. She could smell his shampoo and deodorant, recalling that he'd bathed after they'd ate a breakfast of eggs and miso soup.

"What's gotten into you...?" He asked to her ear. "You were just fine last night..."

"It's because Naruto doesn't understand. I--I don't have your...positivity. I can't just assume things will work out...! I need to find my true love, even if it isn't Naruto!"

"But Nikko-chan, I already told you that even if you never found him that I'd keep you safe!"

She reared away. "And what if that doesn't work? What if you...fail?"

The boy shook his head. "I won't. Even if the world ends, the sky falls down, I'll always protect you. I swear it!"

"..."

Nikko sighed and leaned into his shoulder. Her argument fell on deaf ears. Again. She could have been talking to a brick wall for all the good it did her. "Naruto...I'm going on that date with Kiba-kun. And with Shikamaru-san, too. Please...let me at least try. I--I can't sit around and hope for the best. Would you let someone else take care of your messes?"

It would seem her words had some effect. Naruto sighed and put some distance between them. "Fine. I get it, Nikko-chan." He turned away clearly miffed, "...I'm going to check on Sasuke-kun. I'll...be back later."

"Alright. Thank you, Naruto." 

"Hmp.." he didn't spare her a glance as he dashed off towards the hospital. 

After he'd left, Nikko retraced her steps only to find her things gone. "No!" She looked around, even asked local businesses, but nobody had saw her things. "Aponi...my kimonos! And--Idate kun's knife was there, too! I have to get it back!"

"Maybe Hime-sama shouldn't pack his knife everywhere." The monarchs suggested.

"I forgot it was in the kimono! You know things have been crazy!"

Nikko continued to look for her things before eventually giving up. It would seem she would be going on her date with Kiba wearing Naruto's clothing.

She trudged back to Naruto's apartment only to literally bump into Shikamaru right outside of it. He rubbed his chest. "Ow. Oh, it's you."

"O-Oh! S-Shikamaru-san!" She bowed, "How nice to see you again!"

He looked off as if lost in thought before saying, "You live around here?"

"I--I do..." Nikko didn't want to admit that she lived with Naruto. She had to think of something, "It's only temporary. I'm looking for a job so that I can find somewhere else."

"Right." He scratched his head, "I guess you're not a shinobi."

"M-Me? Ah ha...ha..." Nikko laughed nervously. She was a shinobi, just not one trained at any academy. Governess Gale's and Yashamaru's teachings probably didn't count enough for her to be considered a genin. "I...know a thing or two," she admitted.

"Yeah?"

"Mhm...w-well, it was good seeing you Shikamaru-san. I'm looking forward to beating you at Shogi." She bowed and ran off to avoid letting him see that she and Naruto were sharing a place. 

Little did she know, her shadow had a shadow. 

She backtracked to Naruto's and entered the apartment with a sigh. "That was close! I almost ruined it!" 

Aponi fluttered around the kitchen. "Shikamaru-san is most handsome. He would be good for Hime-sama."

"You say that about every guy I meet Aponi. I question your standards..." Nikko sighed, "But what should I wear on the date with Kiba-kun?"

"Perhaps Haruno-san can spare clothing?"

The girl mulled it over. She didn't like the idea of borrowing clothes. Her and Sakura hardly knew one another. It would probably be horribly awkward. But...it beat wearing Naruto's things again. "Fine. I'm betting she's over at the hospital to visit Uchiha-san."

After a snack of matcha tea and some sweets Nikko set off to the large Konoha hospital. She got lost right away but re-read the street signs and eventually found the area where they kept Sasuke.

The ICU unit wasn't very large, but it did have several stories and a roof with closed off space for patients to get fresh air. Nikko walked through it's automatic sliding doors and spoke to the receptionest, a middle aged woman with a kind face. She was allowed to go up to his room.

Sasuke was sitting up in his bed. From his pale face, sunken eyes, and lack of emotion she guess he couldn't have been awake for long. He didn't even appear to hear her as she entered his room, not seeing Naruto or Sakura. 

"U-Uchiha-san...you're awake." She bowed, "Are you feeling some better?"

He glared up at her. "What the hell are you doing in here?"

"S-Sorry! I just...came to check on you," she lied. It would be rather rude to say she merely came for Sakura after all. 

"Check on me? Hn. What you see is what it is. While I'm here bedridden, Naruto-kun is busy surpassing me...dammit!" His pale fist clenched angrily. "How the hell did he get so far ahead?"

"Naruto has been training a lot, Uchiha-san! He won't let anything stand in his way of becoming Hokage one day!" 

"Naruto? When did you two get on such good terms?" He moved aside the cover and stood up. His bare feet padded over as his coal eyes narrowed. "Don't tell me; you two are screwing around."

"E-Eh?!"

"Tch. I can see from your face I'm right. Figures. First the sand freak, that Morino guy and now Naruto-kun. You don't know when to quit." He smirked.

Nikko's blood pressure rose. Her purple eyes slit in anger and she grabbed his dark T-shirt, "You know nothing! I'd rather be with Naruto any day of the week over your sorry ass! And don't talk about Gaara like that either! He's not a freak, you are!"

She had little knowledge about what the Uchiha boy had been thinking on since waking up. How tiny he felt in comparison--how insignificant all his efforts seemed to be when around Naruto, even Gaara. Everything he did was in vain; his brother Itachi was so far ahead--he'd never catch up. The girls words only broke loose the last remaining reserves he had, and he took out those emotions on her. He slammed the girl angrily into the wall by her shoulder. 

Nikko winced a little from pain but still spat out, "What? Going to try and pull a genjutsu on me again? It won't work this time!"

"Hn. Shut up! Just shut up! There isn't anyone here to help you this time in case you haven't noticed."

The two glared at one another with hate filled eyes. 

Nikko grabbed Sasuke by his hair and wrenched him away, "Get off of me! I don't want you touching me, you jerk!"

"Who the hell wants to touch you! You're so disgusting I don't even want to look at you!" He likewise yanked her hair back. 

"Then quit looking!"

"Let my hair go or I'll put all of yours out," he warned.

Nikko tightened her grip. She wanted some sort of justice for him humilating her in the Land of Tea. It would seem she held a grudge against the boy. "...Go for it."

Sasuke growled with snarling teeth and shoved her into the wall again. This time Nikko knew she would bruise. Still, she had the boy's raven hair in her grip.

"Why the hell are you here anyway!" He shouted.

"None of your business, douchebag!"

He growled yet again and leaned over, sinking his white teeth into the girl's neck. She yowled; it wasn't romantic or sexy in the least. It stung like needles pricking and brought tears to her eyes. "Kya! You--you fucking bastard!" she shouted. 

Sasuke snarled at her, the girls blood between his teeth. "One more word and I'll--"

"--Go to hell!" She reared toward his head and their foreheads collided harshly. Sasuke dropped her and held his throbbing skull. 

Nikko winced but ignored the brain cells she'd just rattled out. 

"You...little bitch," he spit with shaking shoulders.

Nikko took ragged breaths. Her adrenaline was raised and sweat was collecting in her creases. She felt danger being near him, but as his hand dropped and she spotted blood marring his porcelain forehead she smirked triumphantly. "Feel good? Want some more?" She taunted.

"...." He walked over slowly and deliberately to her. Nikko glanced at the door several feet away. Could she get there in time?

Sasuke lifted his face and wore a dark and psychotic smirk. "You really shouldn't have done that."

She had seconds to come up with a way out of the situation. The dampness on her shoulder reminded her that she was, in fact, bleeding. She touched the crimson decoration and swiped it over her eyes. "Jikan henko no jutsu!" 

"You--!"

Sasuke turned into a statue of himself. The jutsu worked as time slowed to a crawl. Nikko leaned forward and took one scared breath after another, trying to calm herself down. But as she touched her bleeding neck she knew that he'd bitten her deeply. The blood kept coming. "Shit shit shit! I oughta kill that little prick," she growled.

"Hurry! Leave before the Time Altering Jutsu wears off Hime-sama!" Aponi shouted.

"Already on it." 

Nikko left the hospital, avoiding frozen medical ninja and their carts of medicine, dashing down the stairs and nearly running a couple with a child over. "Woah!" She twirled, only to see the sliding exit doors shut. They would open only when detecting movement. "Dammit. I'll have to release the jutsu just to leave," she said.

***

Shikamaru

 

"What a pain. Where did that girl run off to?" Shikamaru asked himself. He had misplaced her at some point. She'd headed in the direction of the hospital, and the chunin had followed in pursuit. All the way until reaching the main facility doors. But he didn't see her enter. "Looks like I was too slow," he said with a sigh.

He stood atop the hospital roof and looked over the edge of it to get a better and more clear view of the perimeter. Across the building, attached to an adjoining plaza was a bridge leading toward the ICU unit. He spotted Naruto and Sakura standing there on the bridge, chatting to Rock Lee whom was using crutches. But no sign of Nikko. "Dammit.." he jumped down from the roof and walked over to the trio. 

He lifted his hand lazily with a wave, "Hey."

They spoke for a minute with pleasantries before Shikamaru rubbed his neck, "So how's Sasuke-san?"

Sakura sighed in sadness. Even her flower looked a little wilted. "He's still out. I was hoping that he'd be better today."

Rock Lee told the sad girl that he believed Sasuke would make a full recovery and for her not to worry. Sakura thanked him and said, "Are you here to see him, too?"

It could get tricky, Shikamaru thought to himself. He didn't really want to tell them about his newest assignment just yet. Especially with a hot head like Naruto Uzumaki around. So he nodded. "Yeah...I'm-" he glanced over, seeing a blurred figure leaving the sliding doors. It was Nikko. That wasn't what made him pause however; her white T-shirt was stained with bright red blood and it was growing by the minute. Shit. I leave her for one second! What a painnn... 

Luckily nobody else had spotted her yet. And from the pace she was at they wouldn't either. Which also meant that Shikamaru, too, would need to catch up to her. And fast.

He cleared his throat, "Seems like he's got enough company for now. I'll come by later."

That was that.

Nikko was quick, but not as quick as he. Shikamaru nimbly followed her in pursuit via the rooftops.

If I just show up out of the blue she'll notice right away that I've been tailing her. I need to think ahead..

Of course...that was easy for him to do. Two hundred steps ahead was where his mind drifted. After a pause to collect his thoughts, hands in his thinking pose, Shikamaru came up with the solution.

He took an alternate side road ahead of her location, passing by a stall for food. He snatched a hot cross bun and quickly opened the package. It would be easier for him to fool her if he looked busy. Next, he spotted an alleyway. That's where he would lie in wait for her to pass by him. If he was lucky enough and his theory that she'd take the back way to Naruto's to avoid being seen, then she would need to come through that particular alleyway to find his apartment.

The boy quietly nibbled his hot cross bun and thought on the subject while he waited. Normally, one goes to a hospital to get better, not worse. So whatever happened in that ICU unit couldn't have been normal. The most logical conclusion meant that someone in that ICU unit had it in for her. But if Sasuke Uchiha was still out cold, then who would do such a thing? And why?

His questions needed answers. 

As he had theorized, Utsuri Nikko ran through the darkened alleyway. Shikamaru poised himself in such a manner that she couldn't just ignore him and run past. He leaned against the wall and lazily ate at his stolen food, only glancing up at the last moment. The girl paused, unable to pass by for his feet blocking the path.

"Shika--shikamaru-san, ah--excuse me," she bowed breathlessly. It was clear she wasn't used to running at such speeds. 

He looked up from his meal and blinked at her. "Hm? Oh, hey again." The genius slowly stood, giving himself time to 'notice' her wound. She was trying to hide it with her hand but the blood was pooling around her fingers and leaking out to puddle inside the space of her clavicle. Shikamaru inwardly grimaced; it had to be painful.

"Did you know that you're bleeding? Like a lot." He asked.

"I-It's nothing, really. Just a little...scrape," she lied. Badly too.

"Scrape huh. What, did you run into a sword? Looks like more than a scrape to me." He rummaged through his ninja holster and pulled from it white bandage. "Here."

Nikko took the offering and bowed. "Thank you Shikamaru-san. I'll return this!"

"Nah don't worry about it. I've got a dozen back at home." As he talked he calmly eyed her wound; it was worsening by the second. In fact he could see her begin to tremble a little from blood loss. But the genius had to give the girl credit, she was tough under pressure. So tough that it was a little ridiculous.

"If you're sure..then.." she smiled a little but the corners were too tight. "If you'll excuse me.."

She made to pass by and he moved to allow it. But...but his conscience ate at him. Dammit. Shikamaru cursed himself and grabbed her shoulder. "Hey. On second thought, I think you need a medical ninja for that. It looks pretty bad."

"N-No--I'm fine, really!" 

Double dammit.

He was left with little choices. With a grunt he lifted her into his arms. "You say that but from my point of view? You're going to die from anemia. C'mon, we're going to the hospital."

"No! Please, I don't want to go there! I--I may see Naruto, and he would be very upset!"

"Why?"

"Be-Because Shikamaru-san, it was...Uchiha-san that did this. Naruto would fight with him for sure if he saw!"

The genius sighed in utter annoyance. It was as he originally thought, Sasuke got pissed off at her over something. The girl had a point though, that hot head Naruto wouldn't let it slide. And he for one didn't want to be drug into that if possible. "Alright, fine. Then should I just leave you here to bleed out? Or do you want to die at home?" Of course it was a question without an answer. He hoisted her higher and said, "Hang on. I'm gonna jump."

Instead of the hospital he brought her to Naruto's apartment, utilizing the speed of rooftops. Shikamaru made it to the nine tails abode within less than five minutes. He dropped down onto the balcony. "You have a key right?"

"Ha...yes," she grunted. He noticed she didn't ask how he knew she stayed there. 

Nikko pulled from her shorts a golden key and he unlocked the door and flicked on the light switch beside it. The room was washed in yellow light. He sat her down in the dining room floor and rummaged through Naruto's home and came back with a medical kit. From it he pulled gauze, stitches, a single needle and tiny scissors. 

Nikko's eyes were beginning to glaze over. He had to be quick. "This is going to be a real bitch, just so you know," he warned.

"It can't hurt any worse than it does right now."

He began to work, first by disinfecting the area with isopropyl alcohol. He was by no means a medic but that much was obvious to do. As he cleaned the spot the blood oozed out from he spied the cause. What the hell, these are teeth marks. Shikamaru told himself over and over mentally that it wasn't his business. Still, the boy burned with curiosity. Just what would piss the great and mighty Sasuke off to do such a thing? 

"Damn," Nikko growled in pain, "you really weren't kidding."

She did well despite saying that. Shikamaru then began sewing the torn flesh back together. That was a bit harder for the girl to bear; she groaned in agony as the needle slid in and out her flesh. The boy was glad that it wasn't he receiving treatment.

Afterwards it was pretty simple to finish administrating first aid, he merely tied it off and snipped the extra black thread and placed a large gauze pad overtop it, taping it down. "There. That should do it. You're lucky it wasn't any deeper." He said before glancing down, spying how covered he was with blood.

"Thank you Shikamaru-san. I owe you." 

"You can start by telling me what actually happened. You know, assuming a sword didn't just fly from the sky and attack."

Nikko began relaying what happened. According to her, she'd went to ask Haruno Sakura something only to find that she wasn't in the room. Sasuke had pissed her off and the two began a verbal bout that only ended when...what? "What jutsu is that?" He asked her.

"It's my clan's kekkei genkai. The jikan henko no jutsu. As long as I have chakra I can temporarily stop...time," she sighed, "I'm not really supposed to tell anyone.."

"Right, I can see that being an issue. Jeez..." Shikamaru put a hand to his forehead, forgetting it was caked in blood. Great. Now he had to wash his face, too. Could the day get any worse?

Apparently it could.

From out of nowhere two large blasts interrupted their conversation. Shikamaru jumped up, grabbed a kunai from it's holster and went to the balcony door. Off in the distance smoke was rising from the direction of the hospital. "Shit," he mumbled, "Looks like trouble."

He glanced to the girl a moment before putting two and two together. Great. Just my luck. Stupid Naruto went and started a fight. I'd bet money on that. 

"No! I have to go stop them!" Nikko stood up wobbily and ambled to the door.

"In that condition?" Shikamaru tsked, "You'd only make it worse. Trust me."

"I can't just let them fight!" She opened the balcony door to escape.

Triple dammit. 

Shikamaru looked at the ceiling, pleading with the Gods above, Can I have just one day of peace? No? 

With a sigh he spread his feet apart, cupping one hand over the other. "Shadow Possession Jutsu!" 

 

 

Sunagakure

Gaara

 

"We're under attack!"

"The south border is being overran!"

Gaara glanced up from his perch on the Kazekage statues. He had been there much of the day merely listening to the elders talk as he thought on how to find Hana Utsuri. Sunagakure was allied with the Hidden Leaf for now, but with Hana Utsuri missing and them discovering a leaf shinobi on the grounds of their clan home last night, the former was debatable. Gaara had his doubts about the body and had went himself to investigate only to be left with more questions than answers.

For starters, it wasn't clear what killed the shinobi. But the corpse had been dismembered and spread across the roji bridge, as if waiting for someone to find. He'd used his sand to try and sense any blood trail underground but there wasn't any to be found. Which led him to believe it had been planted there. 

The guards posted at the grounds couldn't remember anything; some type of Genjutsu gave them amnesia. They could only recall a tune picked by someone playing a biwa. 

So, while evidence suggested that a Hidden Leaf ninja had been killed at the site--for entering forbidden territory, Gaara knew that to be false. He just couldn't prove that. There would be little use in saying his piece. Nobody could understand the earth like he. Not to mention he was still a beast in human clothing to them all.

"Who is it?!" One councilmen yelled. 

The uproar only continued to grow. "The coast guards say it's some kind of mechanical demons!"

"Demons?! Is that true?!"

Gaara walked over to the scurrying members. They saw his approach and fell silent. Even now they all feared him; loathed his very existence.

He motioned with his hand, "Are there any eye witnesses?"

One dirtied sand nin walked forward and dropped down to his knees. He was bleeding from limb injuries and scuffs on his person. The nin looked up with fear in his dark gaze, "I was there, Lord Gaara---it was truly the work of dark forces! We were completely surrounded! My men--they fell within minutes!"

"Dark forces at work on the border.." Gaara closed his eyes a moment to ponder.

The Jinchuriki sensed that if he left now his search for Hana Utsuri would have to be postponed. While that situation was vital to his goal of reforming Sunagakure, he also couldn't stand by and let his village be taken by some unknown enemies. He knew there would be plentiful sand on the coast to aid him if he chose to go there. Gaara could also potentially sway his people by going. 

And Nikko was currently safe somewhere in Konogakure.

"What is he thinking?" An elderly councilmen asked.

Gaara opened his tanuki eyes and firmly said, "I will aid in the battle."