Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Different Paths ❯ Progression ( Chapter 2 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Armina Skitty 
Stuff progresses, Itachi thinks, Nara Yoshino is annoying. Yeah, stuff.
Anime/Manga: Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure / Comedy / Drama | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 04.17.2007 | Pages: 5 | Words: 8.2K | Visits: 321 | Status: Completed
Stuff progresses, Itachi thinks, Nara Yoshino is annoying. Yeah, stuff.
Anime/Manga: Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure / Comedy / Drama | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 04.17.2007 | Pages: 5 | Words: 8.2K | Visits: 321 | Status: Completed
Chap 2: If I owned Naruto, I wouldn’t be worrying about basically paying an entire paycheck’s worth for tax this year. Stupid W-4….
AN: Movin’ right along… Sorry it took so long. Real Life issues. If I’m ever late, assume real life bit me in the ass, in one manner or another. Oh, and uh, procrastination. That’s a biggy too. Enjoy.
AN: Movin’ right along… Sorry it took so long. Real Life issues. If I’m ever late, assume real life bit me in the ass, in one manner or another. Oh, and uh, procrastination. That’s a biggy too. Enjoy.
~*~*~
My fault, it’s all my fault. If Shikamaru hadn’t been with him, the other boy would never have gotten hurt. If they hadn’t been friends, those horrible people would never have thought that Shikamaru was tainted. If the other boy had never met Naruto, then he never would have been associated with the blonde at all. It was my fault, all my fault, my fault-
“Oi.”
Huh?
“Oi.”
Naruto painfully cracked his sore eyes open and looked around for the source of that deep, unknown voice.
“How long do you plan on crying in you sleep?” A young person, around twelve or thirteen, asked from his seat next to the bed that Naruto was in.
“Huh?” Naruto asked weakly, not understanding.
“Your injuries will heal completely, as will the injuries of your companion. You have no reason to cry.”
“Shi-shika’s… okay?” The blonde managed to croak, ignoring the last part of the statement. The young man with long, black hair and a too-serious face nodded, meeting Naruto’s eyes directly.
“He will be, and more quickly if that mother of his would just leave him alone.” The older youth grumbled in vexation.
“Heh, that… that sounds like… Nara-san…” Naruto said before he started to drift. His body felt like it was made of lead, but he didn’t hurt. His mind kind of felt… fuzzy he supposed. It was hard to keep hold of any thought, but one held firm. Shikamaru was going to be okay. That meant that Naruto had a chance to make things right. He had to chase his friend away, or else those people would try and hurt him again. I have to make him go away. I have to be alone again. I’d rather be alone than have Shika get hurt again.
He started to drift off and then the other person spoke again, forcing him back to awareness.
“The Hokage would be interested in knowing what happened.”
“Eh? Oh. Those people… hurt me again…”
“What do you mean, ‘again’?” The stranger’s voice had emotion in it now, alarm.
“Uh, t’ose pe’ple… hur’ me… a lo’…” Naruto slurred as the drugs and his own physical exhaustion took hold again.
“Which people?” The stranger demanded.
“Us’al pe’le… guy fr’m… gro’cry… an’ wo’an fr’m… laun’ra’rat… an’…”
“…That will be enough for now.” The stranger said, his cold voice sounding surprisingly gently, “Go ahead and get some more sleep. You are safe right now, I’ll see to that personally.”
Naruto couldn’t have stayed awake even if he wanted to. Usually when he was in the hospital, he felt nervous, and for a good reason. Strangely enough, he didn’t feel nervous right now, not in the least. Instead, he felt like he was being protected. How odd…
“Oi.”
Huh?
“Oi.”
Naruto painfully cracked his sore eyes open and looked around for the source of that deep, unknown voice.
“How long do you plan on crying in you sleep?” A young person, around twelve or thirteen, asked from his seat next to the bed that Naruto was in.
“Huh?” Naruto asked weakly, not understanding.
“Your injuries will heal completely, as will the injuries of your companion. You have no reason to cry.”
“Shi-shika’s… okay?” The blonde managed to croak, ignoring the last part of the statement. The young man with long, black hair and a too-serious face nodded, meeting Naruto’s eyes directly.
“He will be, and more quickly if that mother of his would just leave him alone.” The older youth grumbled in vexation.
“Heh, that… that sounds like… Nara-san…” Naruto said before he started to drift. His body felt like it was made of lead, but he didn’t hurt. His mind kind of felt… fuzzy he supposed. It was hard to keep hold of any thought, but one held firm. Shikamaru was going to be okay. That meant that Naruto had a chance to make things right. He had to chase his friend away, or else those people would try and hurt him again. I have to make him go away. I have to be alone again. I’d rather be alone than have Shika get hurt again.
He started to drift off and then the other person spoke again, forcing him back to awareness.
“The Hokage would be interested in knowing what happened.”
“Eh? Oh. Those people… hurt me again…”
“What do you mean, ‘again’?” The stranger’s voice had emotion in it now, alarm.
“Uh, t’ose pe’ple… hur’ me… a lo’…” Naruto slurred as the drugs and his own physical exhaustion took hold again.
“Which people?” The stranger demanded.
“Us’al pe’le… guy fr’m… gro’cry… an’ wo’an fr’m… laun’ra’rat… an’…”
“…That will be enough for now.” The stranger said, his cold voice sounding surprisingly gently, “Go ahead and get some more sleep. You are safe right now, I’ll see to that personally.”
Naruto couldn’t have stayed awake even if he wanted to. Usually when he was in the hospital, he felt nervous, and for a good reason. Strangely enough, he didn’t feel nervous right now, not in the least. Instead, he felt like he was being protected. How odd…
~*~*~
Itachi watched the young blonde fall back asleep and inwardly seethed. He had only been this furious once in his life and that was when Sasuke had been beaten by their own father. But now he felt furious on behalf of a different little boy, another innocent little boy, that was constantly being mistaken for a murderous demon.
The boy had been tense and very unhappy when he had first woken up. All of that tension had run out of him when he had learned that his friend would recover. What demon would react like that? No, he was no demon, just a boy. One who had been brutalized for no reason.
The young Uchiha couldn’t let this happen again, he could not stand by while knowing that somewhere this boy was being harassed and beaten yet again. He had to prevent this, as a shinobi of the Leaf. He had morality standards to uphold after all. The other boy, Nara Shikamaru, would be safe enough with his family, away from the perceived negative influence of Uzumaki Naruto. Itachi needn’t worry about him. But Naruto on the other hand… Why do I have to be so bloody weak against kids anyway? Itachi’s conscience had been nagging him for a while now, and he knew that it wasn’t going to leave him alone until he did something for the boy.
Like, say, Anbu protection and instruction? His conscience suggested slyly. He stifled a growl, and how am I to arrange that? he asked his conscience. Talk to Hokage-sama, his conscience replied unexpectedly. Itachi briefly wondered if he should be concerned that his subconscious mind was answering back, but dismissed the thought for other concerns. The protection of a child being the main one.
The doctor and a nurse entered the room just then. While Itachi watched, the nurse frowned in concern as she looked at the blonde child. The doctor’s face, however, contorted into a grimace of complete and utter disgust and contempt.
The next thing that occurred happened too quickly for the nurse to see. One moment, the dark haired boy had been in the chair, and the doctor had been just in front of her. Now, the doctor was slammed against the wall behind her and the boy was at his throat, growling low threats. She didn’t hear what was said, and didn’t want to hear it in fact. The doctor’s face told her all that she needed to know.
Finally, the youth released the doctor’s throat and let him fall to the floor, while the youth himself stalked to the door.
“I trust I will return to find the boy Naruto in improved health, correct?” He said. The nurse bowed to him.
“Of course,” She said. Itachi nodded and exited. He was beyond pissed now, he was in a cold rage. The Uzumaki boy can’t even get decent treatment in the hospital?! He headed out of the hospital, all of the staff leaping out of his way. Itachi may only have been twelve, but he was a damned strong shinobi and no one wanted to be in the way of a powerful shinobi radiating so much bloodlust.
In a way, Itachi was disappointed by this. He wouldn’t have minded an excuse to rend something. But on another level, he was glad that the people around him were being prudent; a murder right now wouldn’t help him achieve his objective.
The objective of gaining custody of Naruto, either in his own name or Shisui’s.
Itachi knew that while Shisui might whine at him a little for putting Naruto in his care, he wouldn’t refuse it. The Jounin was in some ways softer on kids than Itachi himself; he would protect Naruto for his younger friend. But Itachi had to talk to the Hokage first.
Itachi blinked and looked up, he was already at the Hokage Tower, and he hadn’t realized it. That disturbed him, he was always, always aware of his surroundings, only just then, he hadn’t been. His anger had overwhelmed him, and that was not good. All the more reason to gain custody of Naruto, so that I may personally ensure that all who seek to harm him first encounter… me.
Itachi permitted a small, death-hungry smile to surface before suppressing it. It wouldn’t do to permit the Hokage to see the true nature of his tool. The young Anbu entered the Tower and let the secretary at the desk know that he wished to see the Sandaime. She looked at her papers and told him that the Sandaime was expecting him and that he was allowed to see the Sandaime at any time.
The Uchiha blinked; was he that predictable, or was the Hokage just that good? Probably the latter, one does not become Hokage by being normal or unobservant. Itachi thanked the woman and went to the elevator and, for the first time, was glad that it was so slow. It gave him time to think.
What do I know? Naruto was beaten savagely, and not for the first time. He knew a few of the people who beat, no, who tried to kill him. His injuries were severe enough to kill a normal person, and had already shown signs of healing when Shisui and I found him. Those people meant to kill. Nara Shikamaru’s were less severe. Possibly the would-be murderers didn’t intend to kill him, but drive home a warning.
The people who attacked the children, a grocer and a launderer among them, are not only cruel and twisted, but sick as well. Itachi’s features started to twist into an expression of nausea and disgust. Since he was alone, he let them. The medical report not only showed massive amounts of blunt trauma induced injuries, but signs of rape as well. Itachi shuddered, the attack itself was bad enough, but this-
This is enough to warrant capital punishment. In Konoha’s early history, a child rapist had terrorized the young city for two years. A father himself, the First Hokage had altered the rules regarding pedophilia to include capital punishment for multiple child rape. No one had opposed him, no one, and the laws still stood.
The council would probably have tried to worm the offenders out of execution, if it had been Naruto alone who had been raped. The attackers own brutality worked against them here, if they had only beaten the Nara boy, not raped him, the attackers may have gotten off with a mere forty years to lifetime imprisonment. But now the Nara clan wouldn’t stand for it, they were already clamoring for the offenders punishment, and the council didn’t dare offend the Nara clan.
On the surface, the Uchiha and Hyuuga clan were the most powerful, and politically they were. Economically however, the Nara clan was king. All domestic leather, dairy and red meat produce was supplied by the Nara’s. Every scrap of leather that Itachi owned had the Nara clan stamp on it. The Nara’s also supplied roughly a quarter of all medicinal raw ingredients. The Nara’s intricately carved antler figurines were highly prized by out-city collectors.
Essentially, if the Nara clan left Konoha, the city’s economy would enter a sever recession, if not a collapse. The council knew this, and so did the Nara’s. If the Nara clan was not satisfied by the council’s rulings, they would leave, and the city would be economically destroyed and thus become easy prey for other, stronger villages.
Now the offenders had to be caught, and the two boys were the key. They had to be protected at all costs, especially Naruto, who had hinted at the fact that he knew who had hurt him. But who would be willing to do that? After all, wasn’t the blonde a demon, the Kyuubi itself?
I will protect him; I see that he’s as human as I, and perhaps more so in spirit. I have my argument now; I think I can convince the Hokage to give me protective custody of Naruto. Now I just have to see if he’ll listen to me. The elevator finally reached the top floor, which held the Hokage’s office. Itachi pushed away from the elevator wall and walked out to the office door and waited patiently for the Sandaime to finish with his papers and acknowledge him.
“Itachi-kun,” The old man said, looking up and smiling a tired smile, “To what do I own the pleasure of your company?” Itachi took a deep breath to calm himself, and began.
The boy had been tense and very unhappy when he had first woken up. All of that tension had run out of him when he had learned that his friend would recover. What demon would react like that? No, he was no demon, just a boy. One who had been brutalized for no reason.
The young Uchiha couldn’t let this happen again, he could not stand by while knowing that somewhere this boy was being harassed and beaten yet again. He had to prevent this, as a shinobi of the Leaf. He had morality standards to uphold after all. The other boy, Nara Shikamaru, would be safe enough with his family, away from the perceived negative influence of Uzumaki Naruto. Itachi needn’t worry about him. But Naruto on the other hand… Why do I have to be so bloody weak against kids anyway? Itachi’s conscience had been nagging him for a while now, and he knew that it wasn’t going to leave him alone until he did something for the boy.
Like, say, Anbu protection and instruction? His conscience suggested slyly. He stifled a growl, and how am I to arrange that? he asked his conscience. Talk to Hokage-sama, his conscience replied unexpectedly. Itachi briefly wondered if he should be concerned that his subconscious mind was answering back, but dismissed the thought for other concerns. The protection of a child being the main one.
The doctor and a nurse entered the room just then. While Itachi watched, the nurse frowned in concern as she looked at the blonde child. The doctor’s face, however, contorted into a grimace of complete and utter disgust and contempt.
The next thing that occurred happened too quickly for the nurse to see. One moment, the dark haired boy had been in the chair, and the doctor had been just in front of her. Now, the doctor was slammed against the wall behind her and the boy was at his throat, growling low threats. She didn’t hear what was said, and didn’t want to hear it in fact. The doctor’s face told her all that she needed to know.
Finally, the youth released the doctor’s throat and let him fall to the floor, while the youth himself stalked to the door.
“I trust I will return to find the boy Naruto in improved health, correct?” He said. The nurse bowed to him.
“Of course,” She said. Itachi nodded and exited. He was beyond pissed now, he was in a cold rage. The Uzumaki boy can’t even get decent treatment in the hospital?! He headed out of the hospital, all of the staff leaping out of his way. Itachi may only have been twelve, but he was a damned strong shinobi and no one wanted to be in the way of a powerful shinobi radiating so much bloodlust.
In a way, Itachi was disappointed by this. He wouldn’t have minded an excuse to rend something. But on another level, he was glad that the people around him were being prudent; a murder right now wouldn’t help him achieve his objective.
The objective of gaining custody of Naruto, either in his own name or Shisui’s.
Itachi knew that while Shisui might whine at him a little for putting Naruto in his care, he wouldn’t refuse it. The Jounin was in some ways softer on kids than Itachi himself; he would protect Naruto for his younger friend. But Itachi had to talk to the Hokage first.
Itachi blinked and looked up, he was already at the Hokage Tower, and he hadn’t realized it. That disturbed him, he was always, always aware of his surroundings, only just then, he hadn’t been. His anger had overwhelmed him, and that was not good. All the more reason to gain custody of Naruto, so that I may personally ensure that all who seek to harm him first encounter… me.
Itachi permitted a small, death-hungry smile to surface before suppressing it. It wouldn’t do to permit the Hokage to see the true nature of his tool. The young Anbu entered the Tower and let the secretary at the desk know that he wished to see the Sandaime. She looked at her papers and told him that the Sandaime was expecting him and that he was allowed to see the Sandaime at any time.
The Uchiha blinked; was he that predictable, or was the Hokage just that good? Probably the latter, one does not become Hokage by being normal or unobservant. Itachi thanked the woman and went to the elevator and, for the first time, was glad that it was so slow. It gave him time to think.
What do I know? Naruto was beaten savagely, and not for the first time. He knew a few of the people who beat, no, who tried to kill him. His injuries were severe enough to kill a normal person, and had already shown signs of healing when Shisui and I found him. Those people meant to kill. Nara Shikamaru’s were less severe. Possibly the would-be murderers didn’t intend to kill him, but drive home a warning.
The people who attacked the children, a grocer and a launderer among them, are not only cruel and twisted, but sick as well. Itachi’s features started to twist into an expression of nausea and disgust. Since he was alone, he let them. The medical report not only showed massive amounts of blunt trauma induced injuries, but signs of rape as well. Itachi shuddered, the attack itself was bad enough, but this-
This is enough to warrant capital punishment. In Konoha’s early history, a child rapist had terrorized the young city for two years. A father himself, the First Hokage had altered the rules regarding pedophilia to include capital punishment for multiple child rape. No one had opposed him, no one, and the laws still stood.
The council would probably have tried to worm the offenders out of execution, if it had been Naruto alone who had been raped. The attackers own brutality worked against them here, if they had only beaten the Nara boy, not raped him, the attackers may have gotten off with a mere forty years to lifetime imprisonment. But now the Nara clan wouldn’t stand for it, they were already clamoring for the offenders punishment, and the council didn’t dare offend the Nara clan.
On the surface, the Uchiha and Hyuuga clan were the most powerful, and politically they were. Economically however, the Nara clan was king. All domestic leather, dairy and red meat produce was supplied by the Nara’s. Every scrap of leather that Itachi owned had the Nara clan stamp on it. The Nara’s also supplied roughly a quarter of all medicinal raw ingredients. The Nara’s intricately carved antler figurines were highly prized by out-city collectors.
Essentially, if the Nara clan left Konoha, the city’s economy would enter a sever recession, if not a collapse. The council knew this, and so did the Nara’s. If the Nara clan was not satisfied by the council’s rulings, they would leave, and the city would be economically destroyed and thus become easy prey for other, stronger villages.
Now the offenders had to be caught, and the two boys were the key. They had to be protected at all costs, especially Naruto, who had hinted at the fact that he knew who had hurt him. But who would be willing to do that? After all, wasn’t the blonde a demon, the Kyuubi itself?
I will protect him; I see that he’s as human as I, and perhaps more so in spirit. I have my argument now; I think I can convince the Hokage to give me protective custody of Naruto. Now I just have to see if he’ll listen to me. The elevator finally reached the top floor, which held the Hokage’s office. Itachi pushed away from the elevator wall and walked out to the office door and waited patiently for the Sandaime to finish with his papers and acknowledge him.
“Itachi-kun,” The old man said, looking up and smiling a tired smile, “To what do I own the pleasure of your company?” Itachi took a deep breath to calm himself, and began.
~*~*~
(A Few Hours Later)
(A Few Hours Later)
It’s all my fault, Shikamaru thought as he slowly regained consciousness. Faintly he heard a commotion, it sounded like his mother was arguing with someone. He shivered slightly; his mother wasn’t going to be happy with him. He had disobeyed her direct order to stay away from Naruto and now he was in the hospital. But it hadn’t been Naruto’s fault. It was mine.
Naruto hadn’t wanted to go out that night; he had wanted to stay home. Naruto had warned Shikamaru that it was dangerous for him to go out during the festival of Kyuubi’s defeat. Naruto had been leery of going too far out, away from the population center. Naruto had been right. I was wrong to try and get him to go out, I should have listened to him.
But now it was too late, Shikamaru didn’t think that anyone could live with the kinds of injuries that Naruto had received. Most of the injuries the boy had received while trying to protect his only friend with his own body.
Shikamaru would never forget some of what happened, although he wished he could. Those horrible people, laughing while they beat the two boys. Naruto, begging and pleading with them to just let Shikamaru go. They could do whatever they wanted to him, Naruto, but just let Shikamaru go.
The young Nara hadn’t agreed with that, naturally, and would have stayed to try and help his friend even if he had been released. Not that those people had released their prey, no. If anything the beatings had gotten worse the more that Naruto begged for Shikamaru’s release.
Then, Shikamaru’s memory grew hazier due to the pain; the beatings were substituted for something that seemed much worse. He hadn’t really understood what the men among the assailants had done; only that it had really hurt and seemed very wrong. It involved the boys’ pants being torn off and their legs being spread and it had really, really hurt.
For some reason, Shikamaru didn’t want to think about it anymore, it was better to not think at all. It would be better still to go back to sleep and hope that this time his dreams would be better. Maybe if he was asleep, his mother wouldn’t yell at him when she came in to see him. The child squeezed his eyes shut and tried to re-enter dreamland.
#Thunk# #Thunk# #Thunk#
The noise distracted Shikamaru and he looked over to see what it was without meaning to. There was a young adult, maybe sixteen, standing by the door and slamming his head into the wall repeatedly. The youth, with short ,black hair, paused in his head-slamming for a moment to listen to the argument outside.
Apparently, he didn’t like what he heard, for he groaned the groan of the utterly exasperated and resumed denting the wall with his forehead. Suddenly there was a female shriek of outrage, a loud demand to see her child from the same female and then the sound of a scuffle.
Shikamaru whimpered and tried to press back in to the bed. The movement caused his injured body to protest and he gasped in pain. Both noises and the movement attracted the attention of the youth. He looked over.
“I guess it’s too let to tell you not to move, huh?” The young man said in a friendly, concerned baritone voice. His eyes, visible now that he was looking at the child in the bed, were very dark and filled with worry and concern. Shikamaru looked into them, searching, begging for… something. Reassurance, a promise to protect, the assurance that what had happened really wasn’t his fault, even though it was, something!
The youth broke the stare to glare at the door and the loud commotion on the other side, before moving over to the bed, hand outstretched. Shikamaru shrunk back, frightened. The last time a stranger had reached out to him, he’d been beaten near to death.
“Hey, it’s okay,” The young man said gently, sitting down in the chair next to Shikamaru. “I know you’re hurt and scared, but I promise I won’t hurt you.” There was another shriek outside the door. The man blanched, “You’re mother on the other hand, just might hurt me…”
“What? Why?” Shikamaru asked.
“’Cause me and my partner dared to find and rescue you and your friend, but didn’t find the guys who did it. You’re mom’s less than thrilled about that part, mostly because she’s not allowed to remove internal organs until those bastards are found.”
Shikamaru didn’t hear most of what the young man said, his entire focus was on one part. “Naruto? You rescued Naruto too? Is he okay? Please-!”
“He’s fine, he’s fine,” The stranger said, holding up a hand to forestall Shikamaru’s questions, “He woke up a while ago and talked with my partner, Itachi. Then he clonked out again, but he’ll be fine.” The stranger regarded the boy for a moment before making a decision, “In fact, he’s healing up faster than you are, so he’ll probably be out before you.”
Shikamaru slumped back down in the bed in relief, just as the stranger expected him to. Then the boy remembered his manners.
“So, uh, you rescued me?”
“Mm-hmm, me and Itachi were heading out to find a private place to watch the fireworks since my buddy hates crowds, and we found you and your buddy and lucky too.” The stranger said, “I won’t lie to you, for a moment there, we thought the two of you were dead.”
“I thought so too, uh?”
“Oh, where are my manners? My name’s Shisui, Uchiha Shisui.”
“I’m Nara Shikamaru.”
“And a good thing you are, since your dad’s throwing all his weight around to make sure the bastards who did this are caught and put to death. Hurting kids like they did is worthy of capital punishment and rightly so.” Shisui growled out that last part. Shikamaru opened his mouth to say something when another yell from outside distracted both boys.
“What the bloody hell?” Shisui said as he stood and made his way to the door. There were further sounds of argument, then the door creaked open, revealing another dark haired, dark eyed youth.
“You’re here, good.” The new-comer said blandly before moving into the room and closing the door firmly behind him.
“What’s up, Itachi?” Shisui asked as he slouched against the wall, completely relaxed now. Itachi, the one who helped rescue Naruto and me.
“The Hokage is seriously thinking about granting me custody of Uzumaki.” Itachi replied, his tone vaguely smug. Shisui’s jaw dropped, and well it should. The other youth looked to be no older than twelve or thirteen, and this twelve year old boy was talking about gaining custody of a seven year old?
“What the hell?!? Are you mad?!? Weren’t you just complaining not two days ago that you already had too much work to do and now you’re thinking about adopting Uzumaki Naruto?!? What are you thinking?!? What ar-“
“Enough. I have my reasons.” Itachi interrupted the still fuming youth. Shisui took in a couple of breaths to calm himself.
“So. Reasons. It’d be nice to hear them.” The older youth said.
“Not here.” Itachi stated, looking past Shisui to the bed that held Shikamaru. His gaze was intense. “It is good to see you awake and aware. Your friend was very worried about you. He’ll be glad to hear that you are awake.”
“Th-thank you…” Shikamaru stammered, feeling overwhelmed by the weight of the other’s eyes. Itachi started to turn away. “Ah, um…” The intense gaze returned. “C-could you tell him, next t-time you see him, that- that- I’m- I’m sorry….”
The eye’s softened. “I will tell him, although I doubt it will be necessary. Now get some rest. You’ll need it.” And with that, the two left, Itachi just turning and walking out, Shisui waving a little before following his younger friend. Then Shikamaru was alone with too many thoughts chasing around in his mind.
Naruto hadn’t wanted to go out that night; he had wanted to stay home. Naruto had warned Shikamaru that it was dangerous for him to go out during the festival of Kyuubi’s defeat. Naruto had been leery of going too far out, away from the population center. Naruto had been right. I was wrong to try and get him to go out, I should have listened to him.
But now it was too late, Shikamaru didn’t think that anyone could live with the kinds of injuries that Naruto had received. Most of the injuries the boy had received while trying to protect his only friend with his own body.
Shikamaru would never forget some of what happened, although he wished he could. Those horrible people, laughing while they beat the two boys. Naruto, begging and pleading with them to just let Shikamaru go. They could do whatever they wanted to him, Naruto, but just let Shikamaru go.
The young Nara hadn’t agreed with that, naturally, and would have stayed to try and help his friend even if he had been released. Not that those people had released their prey, no. If anything the beatings had gotten worse the more that Naruto begged for Shikamaru’s release.
Then, Shikamaru’s memory grew hazier due to the pain; the beatings were substituted for something that seemed much worse. He hadn’t really understood what the men among the assailants had done; only that it had really hurt and seemed very wrong. It involved the boys’ pants being torn off and their legs being spread and it had really, really hurt.
For some reason, Shikamaru didn’t want to think about it anymore, it was better to not think at all. It would be better still to go back to sleep and hope that this time his dreams would be better. Maybe if he was asleep, his mother wouldn’t yell at him when she came in to see him. The child squeezed his eyes shut and tried to re-enter dreamland.
#Thunk# #Thunk# #Thunk#
The noise distracted Shikamaru and he looked over to see what it was without meaning to. There was a young adult, maybe sixteen, standing by the door and slamming his head into the wall repeatedly. The youth, with short ,black hair, paused in his head-slamming for a moment to listen to the argument outside.
Apparently, he didn’t like what he heard, for he groaned the groan of the utterly exasperated and resumed denting the wall with his forehead. Suddenly there was a female shriek of outrage, a loud demand to see her child from the same female and then the sound of a scuffle.
Shikamaru whimpered and tried to press back in to the bed. The movement caused his injured body to protest and he gasped in pain. Both noises and the movement attracted the attention of the youth. He looked over.
“I guess it’s too let to tell you not to move, huh?” The young man said in a friendly, concerned baritone voice. His eyes, visible now that he was looking at the child in the bed, were very dark and filled with worry and concern. Shikamaru looked into them, searching, begging for… something. Reassurance, a promise to protect, the assurance that what had happened really wasn’t his fault, even though it was, something!
The youth broke the stare to glare at the door and the loud commotion on the other side, before moving over to the bed, hand outstretched. Shikamaru shrunk back, frightened. The last time a stranger had reached out to him, he’d been beaten near to death.
“Hey, it’s okay,” The young man said gently, sitting down in the chair next to Shikamaru. “I know you’re hurt and scared, but I promise I won’t hurt you.” There was another shriek outside the door. The man blanched, “You’re mother on the other hand, just might hurt me…”
“What? Why?” Shikamaru asked.
“’Cause me and my partner dared to find and rescue you and your friend, but didn’t find the guys who did it. You’re mom’s less than thrilled about that part, mostly because she’s not allowed to remove internal organs until those bastards are found.”
Shikamaru didn’t hear most of what the young man said, his entire focus was on one part. “Naruto? You rescued Naruto too? Is he okay? Please-!”
“He’s fine, he’s fine,” The stranger said, holding up a hand to forestall Shikamaru’s questions, “He woke up a while ago and talked with my partner, Itachi. Then he clonked out again, but he’ll be fine.” The stranger regarded the boy for a moment before making a decision, “In fact, he’s healing up faster than you are, so he’ll probably be out before you.”
Shikamaru slumped back down in the bed in relief, just as the stranger expected him to. Then the boy remembered his manners.
“So, uh, you rescued me?”
“Mm-hmm, me and Itachi were heading out to find a private place to watch the fireworks since my buddy hates crowds, and we found you and your buddy and lucky too.” The stranger said, “I won’t lie to you, for a moment there, we thought the two of you were dead.”
“I thought so too, uh?”
“Oh, where are my manners? My name’s Shisui, Uchiha Shisui.”
“I’m Nara Shikamaru.”
“And a good thing you are, since your dad’s throwing all his weight around to make sure the bastards who did this are caught and put to death. Hurting kids like they did is worthy of capital punishment and rightly so.” Shisui growled out that last part. Shikamaru opened his mouth to say something when another yell from outside distracted both boys.
“What the bloody hell?” Shisui said as he stood and made his way to the door. There were further sounds of argument, then the door creaked open, revealing another dark haired, dark eyed youth.
“You’re here, good.” The new-comer said blandly before moving into the room and closing the door firmly behind him.
“What’s up, Itachi?” Shisui asked as he slouched against the wall, completely relaxed now. Itachi, the one who helped rescue Naruto and me.
“The Hokage is seriously thinking about granting me custody of Uzumaki.” Itachi replied, his tone vaguely smug. Shisui’s jaw dropped, and well it should. The other youth looked to be no older than twelve or thirteen, and this twelve year old boy was talking about gaining custody of a seven year old?
“What the hell?!? Are you mad?!? Weren’t you just complaining not two days ago that you already had too much work to do and now you’re thinking about adopting Uzumaki Naruto?!? What are you thinking?!? What ar-“
“Enough. I have my reasons.” Itachi interrupted the still fuming youth. Shisui took in a couple of breaths to calm himself.
“So. Reasons. It’d be nice to hear them.” The older youth said.
“Not here.” Itachi stated, looking past Shisui to the bed that held Shikamaru. His gaze was intense. “It is good to see you awake and aware. Your friend was very worried about you. He’ll be glad to hear that you are awake.”
“Th-thank you…” Shikamaru stammered, feeling overwhelmed by the weight of the other’s eyes. Itachi started to turn away. “Ah, um…” The intense gaze returned. “C-could you tell him, next t-time you see him, that- that- I’m- I’m sorry….”
The eye’s softened. “I will tell him, although I doubt it will be necessary. Now get some rest. You’ll need it.” And with that, the two left, Itachi just turning and walking out, Shisui waving a little before following his younger friend. Then Shikamaru was alone with too many thoughts chasing around in his mind.
~*~*~
“So, the reasons again.” Shisui demanded as soon as they were halfway out the hospital and away from Nara Yoshino. She still wanted to see her son, and the doctors were still telling her that Shikamaru need peaceful rest. Itachi was mildly surprised that Yoshino’s tantrum had been big enough to outweigh Shisui’s curiosity. “What are they?”
Itachi told him finishing with: “I don’t want that boy to be hurt like that again. I cannot tolerate it.”
“Ooo-kay, I can get that much. I agree.” Shisui said, “But don’t you already have too much work to do? And what will your parents think?”
“Kaa-san will probably agree with me and support me. And as for my father, I could honestly not care less.” Itachi said coldly.
“Gotcha, so what about your workload that you’re so carefully not talking about?” The teen pestered. Itachi grimaced slightly.
“I don’t know.” He confessed, and then quickly added, “Although Hokage-sama sounded like he would try and make the care of the boy a mission of some kind.”
“Oh, that’s going to go over real well with the clan.” Shisui pointed out. “Some prestigious mission, taking care of a kid. That’ll make ‘em proud.”
The two boys were now almost to the lobby. There were very few people around, mostly doctors and nurses rushing to do their all-important work. Itachi was glad of this, since he hated to make a scene. But this time, Shisui’s words had provoked him too much.
Itachi whirled to face his best and only friend, his expression pained. “Why should I care what they think? Everything I’ve done thus far has been at my Father’s suggestion and it has gained me, what, precisely?” Itachi didn’t wait for Shisui’s response. “Nothing! Nothing at all, only more demands for advancement, more demands for a perfection which I can not maintain! I care nothing for the clan! They have done nothing for me! So why shouldn’t I do something for myself for a change? Well?”
Shisui started to mumble something, but Itachi interrupted him, still agitated. “The clan, the clan, the clan. All that I ever hear about is the clan, and why? Why is the clan so damned all-important? Why should I work so that they can bask in my glory? Why should I push myself to exhaustion for them? Why can’t they do for themselves for a change?” Itachi paused to breath, an opening Shisui quickly used.
“Itachi, I’m sorry…” He murmured carefully. Shisui had temporarily forgotten what a sore point the clan was with his younger friend. Itachi ducked his head, a slight blush of embarrassment managing to surface.
“I apologize as well.” He muttered back. Shisui coughed and changed the subject as they resumed their way out.
“So, hopefully we’ll be taking care of Naruto-“
“’We’?” Itachi said, seizing on the subject change and arching a brow at his friend.
“Yes ‘we’. You don’t expect me to let you have all the fun of taking care of the boy. Besides, leaving that poor kid entirely in your care is a recipe for mental trauma!” Shisui posed dramatically on the steps of the hospital, “Imagine, that poor, budding personality, stifled by your humorless presence!” Shisui mocked a sob. “That poor innocent! To have his creativity crippled by your demands for by-the-book perfection, no spontaneity, no adaptation, just-ack!”
“Enough.” Itachi deadpanned, tucking his sheathed sword back into his belt after whacking Shisui upside the head with it. “I get the idea. Now lets go talk to the Hokage and see if ‘that poor innocent’ really will be placed in my- so sorry- our care.”
“Alright,” Shisui said, rubbing his bonked head and glowering sourly at his friend. “So what about Shikamaru?”
“What about him?” Itachi asked, still walking towards the Tower.
“What are we going to do about him?” Shisui elaborated.
“Nothing, his parents will care for him; and since I plan on keeping Uzumaki busy learning to defend himself, Nara will not be able to associate with him further, and will therefore no longer be a target.”
“’Keep him busy’, see this is why I need to keep my hand in. You’re just going to turn that boy into a war machine and not a person, aren’t you?”
Itachi turned and blinked up at Shisui, “He needs to know how to fight so that he may protect himself. That is my goal, to give him the skills he needs.”
“And what about social skills? Being able to interact and have fun and make friends and all that good stuff?” Shisui needled.
“What about it?” Itachi deadpanned.
Shisui sighed and sweatdropped, “It’s like déjà vu all over again… Maybe he needs those skills too? So he doesn’t become a blonde carbon copy of, say, you?” Itachi blinked, but said nothing. “Like I said, I’m helping. We will train him so that he’s a person, not a weapon.”
“Excellent!” A third person said. Both youths blinked in surprise, their argument had taken them just outside the Hokage Tower, where the Hokage himself was waiting for them. “I was concerned that Itachi would be, ah, a tad overzealous in training poor Naruto in self-defense, but if you, Shisui, are going to assist him, then I have no further concerns.” The old man beamed at the two slack jawed boys before turning. “Come, there are a few other things I wish to discuss with you two, but we can do that in my office.”
“Yes Hokage-sama.” The two young Uchiha chorused weakly before following.
Itachi told him finishing with: “I don’t want that boy to be hurt like that again. I cannot tolerate it.”
“Ooo-kay, I can get that much. I agree.” Shisui said, “But don’t you already have too much work to do? And what will your parents think?”
“Kaa-san will probably agree with me and support me. And as for my father, I could honestly not care less.” Itachi said coldly.
“Gotcha, so what about your workload that you’re so carefully not talking about?” The teen pestered. Itachi grimaced slightly.
“I don’t know.” He confessed, and then quickly added, “Although Hokage-sama sounded like he would try and make the care of the boy a mission of some kind.”
“Oh, that’s going to go over real well with the clan.” Shisui pointed out. “Some prestigious mission, taking care of a kid. That’ll make ‘em proud.”
The two boys were now almost to the lobby. There were very few people around, mostly doctors and nurses rushing to do their all-important work. Itachi was glad of this, since he hated to make a scene. But this time, Shisui’s words had provoked him too much.
Itachi whirled to face his best and only friend, his expression pained. “Why should I care what they think? Everything I’ve done thus far has been at my Father’s suggestion and it has gained me, what, precisely?” Itachi didn’t wait for Shisui’s response. “Nothing! Nothing at all, only more demands for advancement, more demands for a perfection which I can not maintain! I care nothing for the clan! They have done nothing for me! So why shouldn’t I do something for myself for a change? Well?”
Shisui started to mumble something, but Itachi interrupted him, still agitated. “The clan, the clan, the clan. All that I ever hear about is the clan, and why? Why is the clan so damned all-important? Why should I work so that they can bask in my glory? Why should I push myself to exhaustion for them? Why can’t they do for themselves for a change?” Itachi paused to breath, an opening Shisui quickly used.
“Itachi, I’m sorry…” He murmured carefully. Shisui had temporarily forgotten what a sore point the clan was with his younger friend. Itachi ducked his head, a slight blush of embarrassment managing to surface.
“I apologize as well.” He muttered back. Shisui coughed and changed the subject as they resumed their way out.
“So, hopefully we’ll be taking care of Naruto-“
“’We’?” Itachi said, seizing on the subject change and arching a brow at his friend.
“Yes ‘we’. You don’t expect me to let you have all the fun of taking care of the boy. Besides, leaving that poor kid entirely in your care is a recipe for mental trauma!” Shisui posed dramatically on the steps of the hospital, “Imagine, that poor, budding personality, stifled by your humorless presence!” Shisui mocked a sob. “That poor innocent! To have his creativity crippled by your demands for by-the-book perfection, no spontaneity, no adaptation, just-ack!”
“Enough.” Itachi deadpanned, tucking his sheathed sword back into his belt after whacking Shisui upside the head with it. “I get the idea. Now lets go talk to the Hokage and see if ‘that poor innocent’ really will be placed in my- so sorry- our care.”
“Alright,” Shisui said, rubbing his bonked head and glowering sourly at his friend. “So what about Shikamaru?”
“What about him?” Itachi asked, still walking towards the Tower.
“What are we going to do about him?” Shisui elaborated.
“Nothing, his parents will care for him; and since I plan on keeping Uzumaki busy learning to defend himself, Nara will not be able to associate with him further, and will therefore no longer be a target.”
“’Keep him busy’, see this is why I need to keep my hand in. You’re just going to turn that boy into a war machine and not a person, aren’t you?”
Itachi turned and blinked up at Shisui, “He needs to know how to fight so that he may protect himself. That is my goal, to give him the skills he needs.”
“And what about social skills? Being able to interact and have fun and make friends and all that good stuff?” Shisui needled.
“What about it?” Itachi deadpanned.
Shisui sighed and sweatdropped, “It’s like déjà vu all over again… Maybe he needs those skills too? So he doesn’t become a blonde carbon copy of, say, you?” Itachi blinked, but said nothing. “Like I said, I’m helping. We will train him so that he’s a person, not a weapon.”
“Excellent!” A third person said. Both youths blinked in surprise, their argument had taken them just outside the Hokage Tower, where the Hokage himself was waiting for them. “I was concerned that Itachi would be, ah, a tad overzealous in training poor Naruto in self-defense, but if you, Shisui, are going to assist him, then I have no further concerns.” The old man beamed at the two slack jawed boys before turning. “Come, there are a few other things I wish to discuss with you two, but we can do that in my office.”
“Yes Hokage-sama.” The two young Uchiha chorused weakly before following.
~*~*~
The ‘few other things’ were many. One was that the care, tutoring and raising of Naruto was going to be considered a full-time, prolonged mission, and one that Itachi was going to carry out outside of the city proper. There was a great deal of undeveloped land claimed by the city but very far from it. The Anbu were going to make an outpost there and that was where Itachi and Naruto were going to live for the next five years at least.
Shisui was going to help, but first he had to pass a little test. Anbu wanted him, had wanted him for a while, but he had to pass the Anbu test to see if he was fit enough. Or so Kurohyou, the leader of the Anbu who was also in the office, said. Frankly, no one doubted that he’d make it; Shisui’s skills were only a little behind Itachi’s, and both were still growing stronger at a steady rate.
But Shisui had to be one of the Anbu for two reasons. One, no one beyond the Anbu and the Hokage were to know where Naruto was, and two, someone had to take Itachi’s place as an active Anbu agent. No one besides another Uchiha would have the necessary skills to replace him.
But for now, Shisui’s job was very simple, find out who were the people who hurt Naruto and Shikamaru. Itachi immediately demanded to know why he wasn’t the one assigned to that task when it was given to Shisui. That answer was simple as well, Itachi was already too involved. He was far too outraged by the crime to be allowed to find the criminals, for he might do something regrettable, by the legal standard, when he found them. Shisui might also be outraged by the crime, but he was currently more detached. Also, if he was able to locate and arrest all the participants in a quiet and timely fashion, he would have more than a shoe-in for Anbu.
But the Hokage and Kurohyou both knew that Itachi wasn’t going to be satisfied by sitting back and watching his friend do all the work, so while Naruto was recovering and Shisui was locating the criminals, Itachi was to stand guard over Naruto and Shikamaru until the pending trial where the two boys would both testify. This was not a make-work job, since one attempt to silence the two boys had already been foiled by other Anbu agents.
Itachi and Shisui both accepted their tasks and got to work. Shisui headed back to the hospital to see if Naruto was awake and coherent enough to answer questions. Itachi paused long enough to change into his Anbu uniform before following. He traded places with one of the other agents already posted near the hospital, facing the wall that held the rooms of both boys and the main entrance.
While he made himself comfortable, he couldn’t help but feel some triumph. His father would be furious with him, and the clan as a whole would be disgusted. And why shouldn’t they be? The tool that they forged and that they thought was under their control dared to think for himself and decided his own future. They have no say in how I will spend my next five years because the Hokage himself has planned those years out for me. Itachi chuckled silently, oh, Father will be thrilled, I don’t think.
Shisui was going to help, but first he had to pass a little test. Anbu wanted him, had wanted him for a while, but he had to pass the Anbu test to see if he was fit enough. Or so Kurohyou, the leader of the Anbu who was also in the office, said. Frankly, no one doubted that he’d make it; Shisui’s skills were only a little behind Itachi’s, and both were still growing stronger at a steady rate.
But Shisui had to be one of the Anbu for two reasons. One, no one beyond the Anbu and the Hokage were to know where Naruto was, and two, someone had to take Itachi’s place as an active Anbu agent. No one besides another Uchiha would have the necessary skills to replace him.
But for now, Shisui’s job was very simple, find out who were the people who hurt Naruto and Shikamaru. Itachi immediately demanded to know why he wasn’t the one assigned to that task when it was given to Shisui. That answer was simple as well, Itachi was already too involved. He was far too outraged by the crime to be allowed to find the criminals, for he might do something regrettable, by the legal standard, when he found them. Shisui might also be outraged by the crime, but he was currently more detached. Also, if he was able to locate and arrest all the participants in a quiet and timely fashion, he would have more than a shoe-in for Anbu.
But the Hokage and Kurohyou both knew that Itachi wasn’t going to be satisfied by sitting back and watching his friend do all the work, so while Naruto was recovering and Shisui was locating the criminals, Itachi was to stand guard over Naruto and Shikamaru until the pending trial where the two boys would both testify. This was not a make-work job, since one attempt to silence the two boys had already been foiled by other Anbu agents.
Itachi and Shisui both accepted their tasks and got to work. Shisui headed back to the hospital to see if Naruto was awake and coherent enough to answer questions. Itachi paused long enough to change into his Anbu uniform before following. He traded places with one of the other agents already posted near the hospital, facing the wall that held the rooms of both boys and the main entrance.
While he made himself comfortable, he couldn’t help but feel some triumph. His father would be furious with him, and the clan as a whole would be disgusted. And why shouldn’t they be? The tool that they forged and that they thought was under their control dared to think for himself and decided his own future. They have no say in how I will spend my next five years because the Hokage himself has planned those years out for me. Itachi chuckled silently, oh, Father will be thrilled, I don’t think.
~*~*~
(Six Weeks Later)
(Six Weeks Later)
Well, that all went brilliantly! Shisui grumbled to himself silently. The last several weeks had been one long headache, with Murphy’s Law in full affect. All that could have gone wrong, had gone wrong, and it had all been things that no one would have thought could have gone wrong in the first place!
First of all, Naruto had been very reluctant to identify his assailants. It was as if he had been trying to protect them, which made no sense what so ever. But still, dragging descriptions out of the blonde boy had been like trying to pull teeth from an angry Forest of Death tiger. Only without the potential blood and suffering on my part attached.
Second of all, some of the criminals just had to have been some very high ranking and respectable citizens, hadn’t they? No Jounins thank the nine gods, but a few of the Chuunins and Genins had numbered among the assailant, as well as a few wealthy business owners. The populace had been shocked and horrified, but there was no denying the participation of the criminals, not after said criminals had a little ‘chat’ with Ibiki.
Still, a great deal had had to be done to sooth the ruffled feathers of other high ranking members of society. Not an easy task, and thankfully not one given to Shisui. Then came the trial. More like The Farce. If the Nara clan hadn’t been out in such force…
That was one of the few things that had gone right. The Nara’s were practically the poster children of the respectable, middle-class citizenry; while they were not universally beloved or respected, they came pretty dang close to it.
And as for Shikamaru, he was acknowledged by all as a good kid. Yes, he had an unfortunate attraction to that monster, but beyond that he was a better boy than most. He was respectful and mostly obedient of his parents, he did the chores assigned to him, he kept his room mostly clean and he got along well with his age group. The worst that could be said about Shikamaru, besides his nasty habit of wanting to play with that monster, was that he was a little lazy. And that was a problem how? Oh, that’s right, it wasn’t.
But still, the only reason that the many assailants had been punished at all was because of the damage done to Nara Shikamaru. The lawyer prosecuting them quickly learned to not mention Naruto at all, since any mention of the blonde boy only hurt the case. Which made Itachi’s absence from the court a very good thing indeed.
Shisui didn’t know what to do about his friend, Itachi was practically obsessed with the thought of adopting and training Naruto. Shisui had a vague idea why, beyond the fact that it was the right thing to do. The Uchiha clan as a unified whole utterly rejected Itachi’s custody of that monster. Fugaku led the charge. Whenever Itachi ran across any of the Uchiha, with the exception of Sasuke, Mikoto and Shisui himself, that Uchiha did his or her damnedest to dissuade Itachi from taking Naruto under his wing.
For the first time in his life, Itachi was boldly defying the entire clan, and he was loving every second of it. Which led to the next problem, the fact that the Uchiha clan was doing everything in its power to sabotage Itachi’s training of Naruto. Since the clan was so large with so many resources at its disposal, they were able to do a lot.
And yet the development of the training grounds was another of the few things that was going right. A small three bedroom house with one full bathroom and a small closet toilet had been built out in the middle of nowhere and only a few finishing touches were needed before Itachi could take Naruto there to live for the next five years.
Which led to another problem, Naruto himself. Oh, the kid was beyond thankful and excited over being adopted, but he was mood-swinging like crazy. He blamed himself fully for the attack on his friend and himself, and nothing Shisui or Itachi said would convince him otherwise. Ibiki said he would talk to the boy, and Shisui actually had high hopes for that discussion.
Morino Ibiki was a very intelligent man with clear sight of all around him. He knew that Naruto was just an innocent boy with an unfortunate burden. His interrogation skills could be as easily used to put an idea into another person’s head as to take information out of it. If anyone could convince Naruto that the attack was not his fault, it was Ibiki. Shisui praised whichever of the gods that was watching him that Itachi was accepting of that fact as well.
But the trials were now over, and all the assailants were either awaiting their fate, or had already faced it. Itachi was going to be taking off with Naruto soon, with Shisui acting as liaison and part-time assistant, part-time agent. Shikamaru was safe in his parent’s home, or as safe as one got with a mother like his. And that was why Shisui was heading towards the Nara compound in his Anbu uniform. Naruto wanted to say goodbye to his only friend, and since Nara Yoshino would not let that monster near her boy, he had written a letter and Shisui the Jackal was delivering it.
Not even Yoshino is going to deny an Anbu agent the disposal of his duty, Shisui thought as he readjusted his mask. He still wasn’t used to his Jackal mask, but he’d get over that, eventually. Adjustment done, he regarded the compound in front of him. He hadn’t realized that the Nara section was so big with so many houses. No problem though, Naruto was actually very good at describing places and he had a clear memory of Shikamaru’s house, the first house he’d ever been taken to as a friend.
Shisui quickly found the appropriate house, double checked it to make certain the person he wanted was in there and then knocked on the door. A man that looked like a scarred, adult version of Shikamaru answered the door and blinked in surprise at the person there.
“Y-yes?” He asked, stuttering with surprise. Shisui lifted the letter.
“It was requested that I deliver this to Nara Shikamaru, directly, if I could.” Shisui replied, voice slightly distorted by the muzzle of his mask. Shikato, for the person couldn’t have been anyone other than Shikamaru’s father, blink-blinked a moment, then asked for Shisui to wait a moment while Shikamaru was fetched. A moment later, the boy appeared, half-hiding behind the door. Shisui made a mental note to see if Ibiki would be willing to talk to Shikamaru as well, since the child was clearly still traumatized by his experience, and rightly so.
“Y-y-yes…” Shikamaru asked, stuttering with real fear.
“Naruto wanted me to give this to you.” Shisui said, using his gentlest tone as he bent down to deliver the letter. Shikamaru stared at the mask eye-holes hard, recognition sharp in his eyes. Shisui made another mental note that the mask’s voice distorting properties weren’t strong enough to keep one person at least from recognizing him.
“Naruto doesn’t know who to read or write.” The boy stated, staring at the offered letter suspiciously.
“I know,” Shisui said. Itachi had been spitting mad about that fact. “I wrote it for him as he told me what he wanted to say.” The suspicion cleared from the young Nara’s face.
“Okay,” He said before hesitantly reaching for the letter. “Why’d he write me a letter though?”
Shisui stood and looked down at the boy, “He wanted to say good bye.”
“What? Why? We’re still friends, aren’t we?” Shikamaru demanded. Behind the boy came an uncomfortable growl.
“Actually,” Shikato said, “I don’t want you to go anywhere near that- that boy again.”
“No!” Shikamaru yelled, whirling to face his father, “Naruto’s my friend and he never did anything wrong, not once!” Shisui was rather impressed, the boy still had a lot of fight in him.
“’No-nothing wrong?’” Another voice sputtered in shock as Yoshino came into Shisui’s field of voice. “’Nothing wrong’? Look what he did to you! Look at how hurt you got-”
“Because of me!” Shikamaru interrupted his mother boldly, “It was my fault I-”
“No!” Shisui butted in firmly, earning stares of surprise. Clearly the small family had forgotten about him. Well, good. “It was not your fault, Shikamaru, nor Naruto’s.” Shisui stared hard at the parents, activating his Sharingan. Maybe they couldn’t see it, but they would definitely feel it’s weight.
“All you did, Shikamaru, was try and share something you enjoy with a good friend. All Naruto did was accompany you as you wished him to, to share in your company. Neither one of you did anything wrong. It was the criminals who were in the wrong. They could have ignored you. They could have merely attacked you verbally. They could have done nothing at all. Instead, they chose to harm the two of you, two boys who were and are utterly innocent of any real wrong doing. You are not at fault, and neither is Naruto, as should have been explained to you by your parents.”
Shikato and Yoshino both at least had the decency to look shame-faced.
“Now, with that cleared up,” Shisui switched off his Sharingan and shifted his voice from dictatorial to friendly. It was one of the few skills that still escaped Itachi. “Naruto’s going to be going on a training trip with one of my partners, and he won’t be around for several years. He didn’t want to leave without saying good-bye to his best and only friend.”
The sudden look of loneliness on Shikamaru’s face was shocking. “I don’t want him to leave!” The boy wailed, proving the otherwise questionable fact that he was indeed a seven year old boy. “He’s one of the few friends I have! I don’t want him to leave!”
“I’m afraid there’s nothing I can do.” Shisui said regretfully, bowing a little before transporting away. The family started at the move.
First of all, Naruto had been very reluctant to identify his assailants. It was as if he had been trying to protect them, which made no sense what so ever. But still, dragging descriptions out of the blonde boy had been like trying to pull teeth from an angry Forest of Death tiger. Only without the potential blood and suffering on my part attached.
Second of all, some of the criminals just had to have been some very high ranking and respectable citizens, hadn’t they? No Jounins thank the nine gods, but a few of the Chuunins and Genins had numbered among the assailant, as well as a few wealthy business owners. The populace had been shocked and horrified, but there was no denying the participation of the criminals, not after said criminals had a little ‘chat’ with Ibiki.
Still, a great deal had had to be done to sooth the ruffled feathers of other high ranking members of society. Not an easy task, and thankfully not one given to Shisui. Then came the trial. More like The Farce. If the Nara clan hadn’t been out in such force…
That was one of the few things that had gone right. The Nara’s were practically the poster children of the respectable, middle-class citizenry; while they were not universally beloved or respected, they came pretty dang close to it.
And as for Shikamaru, he was acknowledged by all as a good kid. Yes, he had an unfortunate attraction to that monster, but beyond that he was a better boy than most. He was respectful and mostly obedient of his parents, he did the chores assigned to him, he kept his room mostly clean and he got along well with his age group. The worst that could be said about Shikamaru, besides his nasty habit of wanting to play with that monster, was that he was a little lazy. And that was a problem how? Oh, that’s right, it wasn’t.
But still, the only reason that the many assailants had been punished at all was because of the damage done to Nara Shikamaru. The lawyer prosecuting them quickly learned to not mention Naruto at all, since any mention of the blonde boy only hurt the case. Which made Itachi’s absence from the court a very good thing indeed.
Shisui didn’t know what to do about his friend, Itachi was practically obsessed with the thought of adopting and training Naruto. Shisui had a vague idea why, beyond the fact that it was the right thing to do. The Uchiha clan as a unified whole utterly rejected Itachi’s custody of that monster. Fugaku led the charge. Whenever Itachi ran across any of the Uchiha, with the exception of Sasuke, Mikoto and Shisui himself, that Uchiha did his or her damnedest to dissuade Itachi from taking Naruto under his wing.
For the first time in his life, Itachi was boldly defying the entire clan, and he was loving every second of it. Which led to the next problem, the fact that the Uchiha clan was doing everything in its power to sabotage Itachi’s training of Naruto. Since the clan was so large with so many resources at its disposal, they were able to do a lot.
And yet the development of the training grounds was another of the few things that was going right. A small three bedroom house with one full bathroom and a small closet toilet had been built out in the middle of nowhere and only a few finishing touches were needed before Itachi could take Naruto there to live for the next five years.
Which led to another problem, Naruto himself. Oh, the kid was beyond thankful and excited over being adopted, but he was mood-swinging like crazy. He blamed himself fully for the attack on his friend and himself, and nothing Shisui or Itachi said would convince him otherwise. Ibiki said he would talk to the boy, and Shisui actually had high hopes for that discussion.
Morino Ibiki was a very intelligent man with clear sight of all around him. He knew that Naruto was just an innocent boy with an unfortunate burden. His interrogation skills could be as easily used to put an idea into another person’s head as to take information out of it. If anyone could convince Naruto that the attack was not his fault, it was Ibiki. Shisui praised whichever of the gods that was watching him that Itachi was accepting of that fact as well.
But the trials were now over, and all the assailants were either awaiting their fate, or had already faced it. Itachi was going to be taking off with Naruto soon, with Shisui acting as liaison and part-time assistant, part-time agent. Shikamaru was safe in his parent’s home, or as safe as one got with a mother like his. And that was why Shisui was heading towards the Nara compound in his Anbu uniform. Naruto wanted to say goodbye to his only friend, and since Nara Yoshino would not let that monster near her boy, he had written a letter and Shisui the Jackal was delivering it.
Not even Yoshino is going to deny an Anbu agent the disposal of his duty, Shisui thought as he readjusted his mask. He still wasn’t used to his Jackal mask, but he’d get over that, eventually. Adjustment done, he regarded the compound in front of him. He hadn’t realized that the Nara section was so big with so many houses. No problem though, Naruto was actually very good at describing places and he had a clear memory of Shikamaru’s house, the first house he’d ever been taken to as a friend.
Shisui quickly found the appropriate house, double checked it to make certain the person he wanted was in there and then knocked on the door. A man that looked like a scarred, adult version of Shikamaru answered the door and blinked in surprise at the person there.
“Y-yes?” He asked, stuttering with surprise. Shisui lifted the letter.
“It was requested that I deliver this to Nara Shikamaru, directly, if I could.” Shisui replied, voice slightly distorted by the muzzle of his mask. Shikato, for the person couldn’t have been anyone other than Shikamaru’s father, blink-blinked a moment, then asked for Shisui to wait a moment while Shikamaru was fetched. A moment later, the boy appeared, half-hiding behind the door. Shisui made a mental note to see if Ibiki would be willing to talk to Shikamaru as well, since the child was clearly still traumatized by his experience, and rightly so.
“Y-y-yes…” Shikamaru asked, stuttering with real fear.
“Naruto wanted me to give this to you.” Shisui said, using his gentlest tone as he bent down to deliver the letter. Shikamaru stared at the mask eye-holes hard, recognition sharp in his eyes. Shisui made another mental note that the mask’s voice distorting properties weren’t strong enough to keep one person at least from recognizing him.
“Naruto doesn’t know who to read or write.” The boy stated, staring at the offered letter suspiciously.
“I know,” Shisui said. Itachi had been spitting mad about that fact. “I wrote it for him as he told me what he wanted to say.” The suspicion cleared from the young Nara’s face.
“Okay,” He said before hesitantly reaching for the letter. “Why’d he write me a letter though?”
Shisui stood and looked down at the boy, “He wanted to say good bye.”
“What? Why? We’re still friends, aren’t we?” Shikamaru demanded. Behind the boy came an uncomfortable growl.
“Actually,” Shikato said, “I don’t want you to go anywhere near that- that boy again.”
“No!” Shikamaru yelled, whirling to face his father, “Naruto’s my friend and he never did anything wrong, not once!” Shisui was rather impressed, the boy still had a lot of fight in him.
“’No-nothing wrong?’” Another voice sputtered in shock as Yoshino came into Shisui’s field of voice. “’Nothing wrong’? Look what he did to you! Look at how hurt you got-”
“Because of me!” Shikamaru interrupted his mother boldly, “It was my fault I-”
“No!” Shisui butted in firmly, earning stares of surprise. Clearly the small family had forgotten about him. Well, good. “It was not your fault, Shikamaru, nor Naruto’s.” Shisui stared hard at the parents, activating his Sharingan. Maybe they couldn’t see it, but they would definitely feel it’s weight.
“All you did, Shikamaru, was try and share something you enjoy with a good friend. All Naruto did was accompany you as you wished him to, to share in your company. Neither one of you did anything wrong. It was the criminals who were in the wrong. They could have ignored you. They could have merely attacked you verbally. They could have done nothing at all. Instead, they chose to harm the two of you, two boys who were and are utterly innocent of any real wrong doing. You are not at fault, and neither is Naruto, as should have been explained to you by your parents.”
Shikato and Yoshino both at least had the decency to look shame-faced.
“Now, with that cleared up,” Shisui switched off his Sharingan and shifted his voice from dictatorial to friendly. It was one of the few skills that still escaped Itachi. “Naruto’s going to be going on a training trip with one of my partners, and he won’t be around for several years. He didn’t want to leave without saying good-bye to his best and only friend.”
The sudden look of loneliness on Shikamaru’s face was shocking. “I don’t want him to leave!” The boy wailed, proving the otherwise questionable fact that he was indeed a seven year old boy. “He’s one of the few friends I have! I don’t want him to leave!”
“I’m afraid there’s nothing I can do.” Shisui said regretfully, bowing a little before transporting away. The family started at the move.
~*~*~
Shikamaru stared at the spot where the Anbu, who just had to be Uchiha Shisui, had been a moment ago before he turned to his parents.
“I need to go see Naruto!” He declared, clutching the letter to his chest like it was a holy relic.
“Oh no you don’t!” His mother said angrily, “You’re not going anywhere near that boy!” She reached out, either to grab her son or to take away his precious letter.
“Didn’t you hear Sh- Anbu-san? It wasn’t Naruto’s fault!”Shikamaru yelled as he ducked away from his mother.
“You still wouldn’t have gotten hurt if you had just stayed away from him! Get over here!”
“No! Naruto’s a good person and he’s my friend!” Shikamaru yelled defiantly as he darted onto the front porch.
“He’s a menace and a scoundrel and unfit company for my son, and get your butt back here right now, young man!” Yoshino yelled loudly, utterly ignoring Shikato’s pacifying gestures as he suddenly decided to try and calm the developing fight.
“No! No! No and no!” Shikamaru shouted fiercely from the steps leading to the porch. “Naruto’s not a menace, he’s not a scoundrel and he’s a hell of a lot better company than a lot of those other kids you kept trying to get me to play with!”
Yoshino pulled in a deep breath through her nose as her rage escalated. “Why you little- how dare you- get over here now!”
“NO!” Shikamaru knew he was in very deep trouble now, but he really didn’t care. Ever since he had woken up in the hospital and had been told that Naruto was alive, he’d gotten this tense feeling in his chest. That feeling had only gotten worse each time he’d caught glimpses of Naruto during the trial. His parents hadn’t let him near the other boy, and that had only made it worse.
Shikamaru needed to see Naruto. He needed to make everything right with him again. But he couldn’t do that with his parents here, and now Naruto was leaving. Very well, then Shikamaru was going to leave with him. He turned and ran, ran as fast as he could, which was very fast indeed and a lot faster than his parents thought he could go. He heard startled oaths behind him, felt his parents start to give chase, so he put more speed into his run.
Where would Naruto be? The hospital? No, the blonde had gotten out before Shikamaru had. Uchiha Shisui had said his partner was going to train Naruto, and that partner just had to be Itachi. Hadn’t that guy said the Hokage was going to give him custody of Naruto? So, could Naruto be at the Uchiha compound? No, the Uchiha’s had been very vocal against Naruto lately, so vocal that even Shikamaru had heard about it as he hid in his home.
The Hokage Tower, that’s where he’ll be at! Anbu were coming and going from the Tower all the time. The Anbu were the hands, feet and hidden blades of the Hokage, everyone knew that. And Naruto was an orphan, a ward of the city and therefore the Hokage. If people were being mean to Naruto recently, then he wouldn’t be safe living alone, but he would be safe living at the Tower, especially if it was only for a little while. Everything pointed to Naruto being at the Tower, so that’s where Shikamaru ran.
Even running all out, it still took awhile for Shikamaru to get there, and he still wasn’t able to run the entire way. When he entered the main part of the city, he was forced to slow to an easy lope, one that the Nara clan was noted for. He was still out of breath when he got there. But he’d been right.
Naruto was just outside the Tower, fussing with a big backpack, standing just next to an Anbu agent with long black hair who seemed awfully short for an Anbu… short and young. Right again! They both looked over at him in surprise.
“I- #pant# I’m- #wheeze# I’m coming- #gasp#” Shikamaru paused to gulp in a huge breath of air, “I’m coming too!”
The young Anbu with a Raven mask studied him carefully for a moment. Shikamaru stared back defiantly and with every ounce of his stubbornness.
“I’m coming too, even if I have to follow you on my own!” Shikamaru stated firmly. Wasn’t there a saying in the village; ‘As stubborn as a Nara’?
Finally the young Anbu nodded, apparently satisfied with what he saw. “Very well, just don’t expect this to be easy, or pleasant. And do keep in mind, this decision of yours is final.”
Shikamaru nodded in turn, “I understand.” Beside the Raven Anbu, Naruto looked like he had just seen his absolute best friend, who he thought was dead, be revived. Perhaps, in a way, he had.
“I need to go see Naruto!” He declared, clutching the letter to his chest like it was a holy relic.
“Oh no you don’t!” His mother said angrily, “You’re not going anywhere near that boy!” She reached out, either to grab her son or to take away his precious letter.
“Didn’t you hear Sh- Anbu-san? It wasn’t Naruto’s fault!”Shikamaru yelled as he ducked away from his mother.
“You still wouldn’t have gotten hurt if you had just stayed away from him! Get over here!”
“No! Naruto’s a good person and he’s my friend!” Shikamaru yelled defiantly as he darted onto the front porch.
“He’s a menace and a scoundrel and unfit company for my son, and get your butt back here right now, young man!” Yoshino yelled loudly, utterly ignoring Shikato’s pacifying gestures as he suddenly decided to try and calm the developing fight.
“No! No! No and no!” Shikamaru shouted fiercely from the steps leading to the porch. “Naruto’s not a menace, he’s not a scoundrel and he’s a hell of a lot better company than a lot of those other kids you kept trying to get me to play with!”
Yoshino pulled in a deep breath through her nose as her rage escalated. “Why you little- how dare you- get over here now!”
“NO!” Shikamaru knew he was in very deep trouble now, but he really didn’t care. Ever since he had woken up in the hospital and had been told that Naruto was alive, he’d gotten this tense feeling in his chest. That feeling had only gotten worse each time he’d caught glimpses of Naruto during the trial. His parents hadn’t let him near the other boy, and that had only made it worse.
Shikamaru needed to see Naruto. He needed to make everything right with him again. But he couldn’t do that with his parents here, and now Naruto was leaving. Very well, then Shikamaru was going to leave with him. He turned and ran, ran as fast as he could, which was very fast indeed and a lot faster than his parents thought he could go. He heard startled oaths behind him, felt his parents start to give chase, so he put more speed into his run.
Where would Naruto be? The hospital? No, the blonde had gotten out before Shikamaru had. Uchiha Shisui had said his partner was going to train Naruto, and that partner just had to be Itachi. Hadn’t that guy said the Hokage was going to give him custody of Naruto? So, could Naruto be at the Uchiha compound? No, the Uchiha’s had been very vocal against Naruto lately, so vocal that even Shikamaru had heard about it as he hid in his home.
The Hokage Tower, that’s where he’ll be at! Anbu were coming and going from the Tower all the time. The Anbu were the hands, feet and hidden blades of the Hokage, everyone knew that. And Naruto was an orphan, a ward of the city and therefore the Hokage. If people were being mean to Naruto recently, then he wouldn’t be safe living alone, but he would be safe living at the Tower, especially if it was only for a little while. Everything pointed to Naruto being at the Tower, so that’s where Shikamaru ran.
Even running all out, it still took awhile for Shikamaru to get there, and he still wasn’t able to run the entire way. When he entered the main part of the city, he was forced to slow to an easy lope, one that the Nara clan was noted for. He was still out of breath when he got there. But he’d been right.
Naruto was just outside the Tower, fussing with a big backpack, standing just next to an Anbu agent with long black hair who seemed awfully short for an Anbu… short and young. Right again! They both looked over at him in surprise.
“I- #pant# I’m- #wheeze# I’m coming- #gasp#” Shikamaru paused to gulp in a huge breath of air, “I’m coming too!”
The young Anbu with a Raven mask studied him carefully for a moment. Shikamaru stared back defiantly and with every ounce of his stubbornness.
“I’m coming too, even if I have to follow you on my own!” Shikamaru stated firmly. Wasn’t there a saying in the village; ‘As stubborn as a Nara’?
Finally the young Anbu nodded, apparently satisfied with what he saw. “Very well, just don’t expect this to be easy, or pleasant. And do keep in mind, this decision of yours is final.”
Shikamaru nodded in turn, “I understand.” Beside the Raven Anbu, Naruto looked like he had just seen his absolute best friend, who he thought was dead, be revived. Perhaps, in a way, he had.
~*~*~
A.S.: FINALLY!!!!! I’m so sorry it’s taken me so long to update. School. Family. Camp F##k You Die. The last one is a Live Journal dot com thing that is perfectly capable of devouring the brain of anyone who stumbles across it. It’s beyond hilarious, I highly recommend it to anyone who’s up for a giggle. Just search CFUD, go to archive, go to 2005, scroll down to May, 6, and watch your brain dribble out your ears as the madness ensues.
Trust me, you’ll love it. Shisui was born there.
Shisui: I was what?
Itachi: I always knew that he was born of chaos, sent to drive me insane.
Shisui: Oi! I resemble that remark! Or, er, ah #sweat drop#
A.S.: Yes, yes you do. Have fun, minna-chan!
Trust me, you’ll love it. Shisui was born there.
Shisui: I was what?
Itachi: I always knew that he was born of chaos, sent to drive me insane.
Shisui: Oi! I resemble that remark! Or, er, ah #sweat drop#
A.S.: Yes, yes you do. Have fun, minna-chan!