[31]

 

Shikamaru

 

The lazy genius sighed, looking at the box of chocolates in his hand with self deprecation. On the box was a cute heart, signaling to all who could read half correctly that it was for someone you loved. Shikamaru, now a part of the Love Nikko team, shook his head at himself. "Man...I'm so lame."

Still.

He hadn't saw her bright and bubbly face for a week now. Neji Hyuuga kept her locked up like a princess in a tower, not letting anyone inside lest she stole a chance to escape. Shikamaru had filed their encounter of the sexual variety as a bed time dream seeing as she was in love with--hell, how many people? He'd lost count. Yet here the genius was, standing outside the Hyuuga gates, one knock away. How far he'd fallen.

"Ah, Shikamaru-san," Hinata said, rounding the wooden sidewalk. Probably just getting back from training or something judging from her scuffed clothing and grass stains. He lifted his hand. "Hey."

She had a few marks on her face as she bowed. "How nice to see you again. Did you come to see...Utsuri-san?"

"Ah. Yeah. Caught me." He lifted his box of chocolates precariously, "Thought I'd send a negotiation offer to Neji-kun."

Hinata smiled a bit and glanced over her shoulder towards the large grounds she called home, squinting her eyes. "She'd love some company. Ah...I mean, I think she would. I--I never talk to her, or anything..."

He sensed there was a story there. One he didn't really want to hear, but for her sake said, "Oh yeah? Why not?"

"She..seems to not like me..."

"Well..." Shikamaru didn't want to be the one to inform her it was all due to Naruto, but admitted: "She does love Naruto-kun, you know. Probably sees you as a rival."

"Eh?! EH!?" Her pale eyes widened. "A--A a rival? Oh, no--I wouldn't--ah.." Her head shook back and forth. 

"Yeah well, anyway..." he moved around her, "Wish me luck."

Hinata followed. 

At the engawa sat Neji, calmly sharpening his newest batch of kunai. There was four by his side, all shining brightly, and a tiny tube of oil. At the sight of his newest visitors his gaze rose, then narrowed. "Hn. Come to see her have you?" He spied the box of chocolates in Shikamaru's lank grip and added, "And just what is that?"

"Er...these are for you," Shikamaru replied. "Happy birthday."

Neji scowled at him. "It's not even close to my birthday."

"Well, happy holidays."

"..."

Shikamaru sat them down on the engawa and eyed the rice paper door, asking, "Is Nikko-chan awake?"

"She's not taking visitors." Neji answered, standing. "Not after that stunt she pulled."

Normally Shikamaru would just turn and leave, but he knew Nikko had to be dying of boredom. Stuck inside all day with a warden from hell. He rubbed his neck, "That was a week ago. How long are you planning on grounding her?"

"None of your business. She's mine to guard, and I won't stand for any distractions."

Neji sat back down, oiling his cloth, and rubbed it along the length of his blade. Clearly the matter should be dropped, but Shikamaru had his own mission to do--rescue one damsel in distress. "Tell you what. Let her have the evening off. Promise, she'll be safe with me."

"How about no. Now go away; I'm busy."

The genius sighed. "C'mon man, stop treating her like a prisoner. She's a chick, not a felon."

Neji paused from his oiling long enough to glare at Shikamaru. He sat down his cloth, blade, and walked over. "...She had bruises around her neck. I saw them with my byakugan. Where do you suppose she got those?"

Shit. Shikamaru's neck got warm, and he glanced off. Neji's eyes squinted. "I can see where they came from," he said slowly. "And you claim she'd be safe with you? Don't make me laugh."

Hinata, who Shikamaru then remembered was even there, walked over and bowed. "Brother Neji...if I may...I would watch over them both. Please; Utsuri-san looks quite pititful..."

With a great sigh of aggravation Neji spun on his heel, grabbed an oiled kunai and threw it to the post beside his head. It stuck into the wood grain quite deep, and he pointed at it. "...Have her back before the shadow falls on this knife. If you don't, I'll never let her out again."

Shikamaru gulped. It was a risky gamble, but one he'd have to take. "Fine."

 

Nikko

 

Laying on her back was quite peaceful. It had to be; there was nothing else for her to do. She'd already expended all her will to do anything remotely productive. She raised a shackled hand, glaring at it. "Stupid Neji-san."

"Stupid? Not very creative," said a voice outside the rice door. It slid open and there stood Neji Hyuuga. His bare feet tapped on the tatami floor as he drew nearer, giving her a hard look. "It would appear you have a visitor."

Nikko sat up and forgot she was shackled to the bed. She jarred a little backwards, glaring at her captor. "You could at least say who it is!"

The week of her imprisonment had been worsened by news that Naruto was gone on a mission. She'd not seen him since telling him she'd be right back, and wished she'd never gone to the Hokage in the first place. Being stuck to a bed all day sucked ass, hard. Nikko was a dog, led around by the maids only when she was to eat and bath--of course only after Neji had rendered her arms useless. 

With these memories she glared at him. He smirked. "I think I'll let you find that out on your own. I'm only doing this as a favor to Lady Hinata. She personally offered to guard you."

"Hinata-san?"

"She feels bad for you. Lady Hinata is much too kind." Neji said, frowning. "Don't think about running off. She's also a user of the byakugan."

"I know, dumbass."

Neji turned around, looked down at Nikko's tiny table littered with tea cups and scowled. "When you get back clean this mess up. It's a disgrace."

"Well excuse me! The only thing I can do here is drink fucking tea all day long--"

Nikko had a smart mouth. Neji didn't like it one bit, and strode over, yanking her forward to him. It was a small thread that kept him in line and Nikko was scissors, trying his patience in every way. He glanced down to her rotten mouth, colored in peachy lip oil, and said, "--I'm doing this because it's my job as a shinobi. Nothing more. Don't expect me to be like those idiots and flock all over you."

Calmly he grabbed her wrist, tapped it, and pulled from his shorts a tiny key. With a clicking noise Nikko was free. She rubbed her sore wrist, seeing it marked by rings of metal. "They aren't idiots. You're just jealous because I don't like you," she spat out.

Neji scoffed.

Nikko followed after him and down the long traditional hallway, rounded a corner, and saw the brightness of day. It's cheeriness made her squint and she rubbed her eye with her good hand, seeing Hinata and Shikamaru waiting for her. She immediately took off running only to be yanked backward by Neji. "Wait. There are rules."

"Of course you'd have rules," she replied. "Let's hear them then. I don't have all day."

He pointed to the post on the porch marked by a knife. "If you aren't back here by the time the shadow falls over this knife, you won't be allowed back outside. Do I make myself clear?"

Nikko looked at the blade and saw that the sun was directly overhead. It would give her maybe three hours, tops. She'd have to take it or leave it. "Fine. Anything else, daddy?"

"D-Daddy-"

She smirked at the flush on his cheeks. Neji had a weakness, and she'd just found it. Nikko could think of a million different, embarrassing nicknames for him. 

Shikamaru snickered.  His dark eyes traveled up to Nikko's, who cheeks reddened. He was the shogi master among other things. 

"Shikamaru-kun," she greeted. 

Neji watched their exchange with interest. He was able to tell anothers emotions like some could read, and could see that Shikamaru and Nikko were close. Too close. It irked him how the genius had taken off with his mission, returning her with injuries. Neji didn't like anything that was done in secret.

Hinata cowered behind Shikamaru, eyeing Nikko with shy wariness.

***

Konoha was big. The trio of odd companions set off for the BBQ grill, entering it to see a crowd of people. Immediately Nikko regretted the choice. Ichiraku ramen would have been better...less, populated. She gazed around the numerous tables, spying an empty booth by the window. "There's a space."

"Bet it feels good to get out of there for awhile," Shikamaru said as they waited on their orders. Nikko had chosen a platter of ribs with the intention of sharing, Hinata a beef pork bowl while Shikamaru went in for the skewers.

Nikko nodded. "It does." Her purple eyes went to her ringed wrist. Hinata, seeing it as well, rummaged through her capri pockets and procured from it a small tube. "Uhm, U-Utsuri-san..." her head fell forward as she extended the green salve, "...h-here. I-It will help it h-heal."

Nikko inwardly scowled. Hinata had best girl written all over her, pure hearted down to the core. With slight hesitance she took it from her with a reluctant, "Thanks."

"Y-Yes."

Having one hand made it difficult to apply. Nikko tried and failed, at last sighing. Damn Neji Hyuuga. Hinata reached over the table and quietly swiped some onto her index finger. "I-I can help. I-If that's okay."

"Go for it."

As Hinata gently dabbed on the medicine Nikko began to think. Plotting. Exploiting. She had many ideas but discarded most as too troublesome, settling on befriending the Lady Hyuuga, if nothing else than to ensure her aid all while keeping the girl at bay from Naruto Uzumaki. He belonged to Nikko; she wouldn't give him to anyone. He was her secret ace with plot armor for days. Besides...Naruto was her true love, right? He had to be. Aponi was gone. 

"Oh..." Hinata murmured the tiny sound, having glanced up and spotting the purple ring around Nikko's neck. The bruise from Shikamaru's shadow strangle jutsu, which had been going through the rainbow of colors the entire week. Hinata's light eyes tightened a bit. "...Your neck...it's ah...it's uhm..."

Nikko took her good hand and moved Gaara's shawl to hide it. It wouldn't do to expose her time with Shikamaru, despite Hinata probably guessing what happened from Neji's earlier remark. But if she had noticed she didn't say anything; perhaps Hinata was too pure hearted to understand what Neji had meant. Hopefully.

Shikamaru coughed and leaned away to stare out the window to his left, bored. He yawned. "...It's so hot in here. Makes me want to take a nap." He laid his head down.

A trickle of sweat went down Nikko's cheek. She had to agree. It was too hot. With a sigh, she folded her hand elegantly to her lap and waited for the food. Then, she felt the stare of someone. Her amethyst gaze ticked to the left, seeing a man there. A handsome man with short icy blue hair, bright red eyes, and...a samurai blade.

He smirked and lifted a tiny cup without a handle to his mouth, drained the liquid and belched. 

This is bad, Nikko thought, he's definetely not from here, and that sword could mean he's from that group who were after me before. And Naruto isn't here. Dammit. 

Nikko kicked Shikamaru's leg under the table. "Mmp."

He lifted his head, and saw the fear in Nikko's eyes. Instantly Shikamaru's own narrowed and he flicked his gaze over, spotting the samurai guy. "...Looks like trouble," he mumbled. Nikko subtly nodded.

Shikamaru grabbed the menu and pointed to words on it. "Let's try...this," he said, pointing to letters rapidly. It appeared he was trying to relay a message. Nikko leaned over and read what his fingers said, "I..H..A..V..E...H..I..M.."

She nodded. "Looks good to me. I like ice cream cake," looking down at the floor where Shikamaru's shadow had snuck out, capturing the samuari's. The relieved smile she gave him was one for the books. 

The pretty waitress came back. She was the sort who only had eyes for the males, and as such told Shikamaru, "Here's your order. Do you need anything else? Drinks?"

"...Nikko-chan?" Shikamaru asked.

"Oh. I'll have a fountain drink, please." 

The two shared a lovers gaze--all heat and unreserved--before Hinata coughed. "Ah...it's spicy."

Her beef bowl was packed to the heavens with toppings, and also a fiery red sauce. Her cheeks were cutely red. Nikko, seeing it, said to the waitress, "...Bring her a fountain drink too please."

"Yes m'am."

After the waitress left Shikamaru looked over at his captive. "...Who're you?" He asked. 

The samurai was frozen but gritted out. "Just here to...check on Hime-sama."

A dark chill ran down Nikko's spine. Just like before with Ken Uwata, this guy also knew her true name. She had a bad feeling. "...How do you know that name?" She asked darkly.

Pure sweet Hinata was blinking in confusion. Until she saw Shikamaru's shadow attached to the newcomer, and her eyes narrowed as one hand went to her pouch in case she needed a quick weapon.

"Hn. Does it matter, Ichikashima-no-mikoto? Are these two your scrawny bodyguards?" He laughed, straining to get it out. "If that's all you have it won't be near enough."

Nikkos hands in her lap trembled ever so slightly. "What do you mean...?"

"How can I say this? Ha. Ha! Our village was made on finding...and killing all the Utsuri." His sneer widened, eyes gleaming with madness. 

Village? There was an entire village dedicated to the eradication of the Utsuri? Nikko paled.

With a grunt the samurai broke through the shadow posession in one single flush movement, drawing his katana at the same time. Shikamaru yelled out, tossed the booth table upwards, snagged Nikko's lank arm and pulled her down to the safety of the table covering. The katana sank through the table--spurting out right by Shikamaru's ear, slicing his earring off. Blood dripped from the slit in his earlobe.

"Shikamaru-kun!" Nikko shouted. She had only enough time to yell his name before the katana was once more erupting from the tables wood, this time piercing her lank arm. Nikko cried out--and Shikamaru pressed her to the restaurant floor, simultanously tossing a kunai towards the madman attacker.

Hinata sprang from the seating. "Byakugan!" She shouted. 

The katana sank through the table again. Nikko's eyes grew wide, for the blade shone right in front of her nose tip, shining. It had found the small space between her and Shikamaru.

Shikamaru's eyes widened as well. "Shit!"

Hinata began palming the samurai. Her well placed attacks where thrawted off with the side of his hands, swinging in circles to knock away her incoming afront. Her pale eyes went to the table, seeing Shikamaru and Nikko stuck to the floor, and said to them, "Shikamaru-kun! Get Utsuri-san to safety!"

An uproar began in the restaurant. People scattered, screaming and fleeing, tossing chairs in their attempts to escape. It only took all of a minute for the grill to be void of people. 

Shikamaru cut into the windows glass, kicked it, making a rain of shards clatter around them. "C'mon!" He tucked Nikko to him and jumped over the sill to dash down the chaotic street filled with scared civilians.

Dots of blood dropped from his earlobe onto Nikko's cheek and streamed behind them. She gazed up at her hero in a daze, half of her scared, the other half wanting to cry. The girl was so very tired of being hunted. She clutched Shikamaru's vest and did her best not to break down. It wouldn't help anything. 

If only her arm worked. She could asisst in some way. Damn you again, Neji.

"It will be okay, Nikko-chan," Shikamaru said, now running across roofs, leaping over alleyways. 

"You heard what he said. There's a whole village....trying to kill me," Nikko replied. 

He smirked. "And there's a whole village ready to defend you too. Don't forget that part."

Except that village was short handed right now, Nikko recalled fearfully. She only had genin to rely on. How had the samurai even gotten through? Did they have some jutsu to blend in? Just what were those border guards doing all day, jacking each other off? Nikko bit her lip. "I should have just stayed with Neji-san."

"Maybe. Or maybe they would have just attacked you there. We don't know either way," Shikamaru said, pausing to glance around. He debated between the Hyuuga's and the Hokage--when a shadow dropped down behind them both. 

"Shikamaru-kun. Over here."

The voice belonged to Kakashi Hatake, the copy ninja. He saddled down into a squat and motioned with his gloved hand, "There's more outside the gates. We need to get her underground."

Right. The safe zone for women and children, Shikamaru remembered. He'd had enough drills to know the place well enough. "That might work."

Kakashi gazed down at Nikko in Shikamaru's arms, who was trembling and holding back a sob. He sighed and rubbed his white head. "Sorry I'm late."

"Maybe we should chat when she's safe," the genius suggested.

All set off from their current position, making a sharp turn towards the mountainside where the Hokage's faces stared down over Konoha. After many minutes of running up the sloped cliffside they made it to the iron gated door at the top. Kakashi took a key from his pocket, opened the lock and went in behind them, shutting and locking the door. 

It was dark. Nikko couldn't see anything other than Shikamaru's grim face. He lowered her to the ground. It appeared the tunnel only led further downward, but the three sat silently.

"Well. Seems like they're not following us," Kakashi said. "It could be a good thing. Or a bad thing." He walked over and began to light the torches. Shortly the tunnel was engulfed in a yellow warm glow. 

"Hinata-san...is fighting that guy alone," Nikko said. "I hope she's okay."

"Hmm." Kakashi rubbed his chin. "I should probably go check on her."

Nikko nodded. "...Please. I'd hate for anything to happen to her all because of me." 

Kakashi left the tunnel, shutting and locking them in. It was all quiet for awhile before Shikamaru moved to Nikko's side. "Hey. Let me check your arm."

She'd all but forgotten it was even hurt, not able to feel it for Neji's little move. Shikamaru helped her remove her top. Her creamy skin was radiating from the torches glow invitingly, and the Nara gazed at her beauty. He was mesmerized. She was everything a guy could dream up, all wrapped in a powerful, sensual bundle. His throat grew dry looking at her.

At length she whispered, "Shikamaru-kun...?"

"Sorry. Got a little distracted."

Nikko smiled a little. "Me..too."

"You're going to make my head swell. Besides, what would Naruto-kun say?"

"..." 

She didn't answer the light hearted question. Shikamaru looked up from readying bandage and spied the confliction on her face. Nikko replied quietly, "I've been thinking about that all week. If I should tell him...about us."

"Us? So, we're a thing huh."

"W-Well, I've liked you since...the grill..."

He grinned a little, pulling bandage up and around the sharp indention of the katana wound, clotted and matted already. It was quite deep and would hurt like a bitch when the feeling returned to her arm, but for now he gently tied it around. "...Same here. You were too good for Kiba-kun anyway." 

She looked down at her arm. "Funny. Here you are, fixing me up again."

Deep embers of flame danced in Shikamaru's dark eyes. Nikko looked into them, wondering what it was like to be a genius--to know so much without even trying. She wished she were that smart. But she wasn't, just a normal girl caught up in a crazy ninja world filled with mysterious shinobi and a wild curse. A curse that should have been lifted when her true love was found. Yet...

She was attacked. In Konoha.

With no Aponi for guidance, Nikko had to rely on her instincts to survive. And for a girl who'd died by laughing, well, that might not end so well. She needed someone--a genius, to help. 

Shikamaru Nara.

"Shika-kun," Nikko began, "--There's things I need to tell you."

Thus she filled him on the role she played, minus the big factor that she wasn't who she said she was, and he listened to every word raptly. Finally, finishing with, "...I...I'm not smart enough on my own. So...I've been clinging to those who could help..." her eyes filled with tears, "...I've loved and lost--first Idate-kun, then--Sasuke--"

Her tears slid down the two hills upon her chest, glistening. 

Shikamaru chewed on his jaw meat a moment. Utsuri Nikko had been through hell from the sounds of it. His chest ached, hearing how desperate she was to be free of the curse. A curse that he would gladly take from her if possible. "...So, this "Aponi" is gone?"

"Yes. As soon as..." Nikko jolted. A startling reality entered her mind, until she reached over and clutched Shikamaru's hand within hers. "...It's you! Shika-kun, you're my true love!"

It would be great if that were true, but Shikamaru had to know more. "...When did they disappear?"

"When you found me. Even when Naruto was there, Aponi was still by me. So..it has to be you, Shika-kun." She frowned a bit, not recalling exactly the moment when Aponi had left, only that at some point they'd vanished. A lot had happened and she'd overlapped some memories, and thus couldn't be one hundred percent sure.

Shikamaru looked at her hand in his and clenched it. "...Well, what now?"

"I...don't know. I love Naruto, and..." She sighed, glancing off into the past, "...Sasuke. Also...Gaara-san...will come for me one day."

"Is that what you want?"

Without hesitating Nikko nodded. "Yes. I owe him everything. My life is in Sunagakure...at least, it should be."

Nikko's heart had been pulled in too many directions and didn't have a true north any longer. Even with having Shikamaru as her true love, she was still yearning for the others as well, and as such said, "I can't...forget them. I'm sorry...Shika-kun."

"I get it. Wouldn't think too much of you if you did, ya know?" He sighed and patted her hand, standing. "...Besides, none of those guys would ever forget you, either."

Her cheeks reddened. Nikko didn't want to drag Shikamaru through the love disaster she was the leader of; and said, "If you don't want to be with me--"

"--Be quiet."

At his order Nikko's eyes widened. Quickly, though, they heard a scrape at the door. Shikamaru hurriedly told her, "Go. Down the stairs. I'll hold 'em off."

"But--"

"Now!"

Nikko grabbed Gaara's shawl and took off running as fast as she dared down the steps. Her heart raced, adrenaline spiked to the ceiling, clogs smacking the stairs the only noise she heard.

"Shika-kun...please...be safe.."