#but then i thought of shadow people nara's

[rainybyday]

So... I was making my own verison of what I wanted my Hatake's and my Hatake Hashirama would be like in the warring state era time travel au with team seven but uh...

i had an idea

How would you feel about if i make a myth about Skinwalkers Hatakes?

[luchicm04]

lost in the forest - part 39

Masterlist

Summary: The cat is out of the bag.

Pairing: Senju Tobirama/Original Female Character

Tag: #lost in the forest fic

posted on ao3

Word Count: 3.7k

Overall warnings: canon-typical violence, adult content, time skips, angst

A spectacular view is what greets her during that cool night in the middle of a large garden that gives her false tranquility and a deceptive view; sipping part of her hot drink sitting in a perfect seiza under the nearest tree is the only thing that calms her, away from the sight of the maids. 

Karen has been forced to complain at this point under the Daimyo’s agreement, apparently to keep up the appearance of his true objective after her excuse of presenting various shinobi topics of a possible village that he did not know Hashirama was thinking about and that according to the formal addition of the Nara clan and the two extra allies, firm foundations could be laid for a ninja community. 

Scandalous according to the rest of the nobles who see this as stupid while others see the usefulness of being able to hire better shinobi with so few processes. The Hyūga will show up the next day due to the initiative of this supposed village... at least it will give her more chances to get their attention again and deal with what Izuna told them. 

“You know you should not be in the middle of the garden at night.” Tobirama doesn’t scare her. The girl has gotten used to him coming and going as he pleases in these two days, although she knows he’s not the real one. He looks naturally similar... a doubt that she always carries since she learned about shadow clones. 

The benefits it would bring to her workload if she could do three more... Why don’t they use it to make the paperwork more enjoyable?, she questions mentally, blinking at the man. “I didn’t want to be inside,” the woman states, coming out of her daydream to answer her future husband just for the pleasure of it. 

Plus, he gives her a ‘don’t get too sidetracked’, typical of a paranoic shinobi. 

“Mmm... Are they bothering you again?” He is serious in his point. The bitter shinobi is aware of the problems that the faithful assistants of the Daimyo’s main wife have caused because of the spreading rumors about her as the possible lover of the infamous man. 

Something that has not been clarified and is in Shinji’s interest; the wretched leader gives her more attention so that they focus on the fact that she is a ‘lover’ than on the facade of his true plan in the shadows. 

“Not much. They’ve distanced themselves since Shinji-sama called them out,” she shrugs, unaware that she has had to change maids too many times in these two days to remember them, and that they all happen to be sent by that lady. 

Karen assumes it’s a plot that, if it weren’t for the Daimyo’s protection, it would be difficult to deal with... Living among women is very hard. 

“I am glad to hear that. Just tell me if something happens...” 

“I’ll tell you,” the woman rolls her eyes at her fiancé’s exaggeration. “By the way... will you be done soon?” She changes her last words subtly to English at the thought of being overheard by any of the people around. She doesn’t have guards as such, but there are helpers and the garden, although huge, could have listeners. 

Karen had never felt so unsafe... and she hadn’t even lived in a safe country per se. 

Ironic. 

“I do not know,” the man admits, sticking with the foreign language causally. 

The woman frowns at this comment. “You don’t know, or you don’t want to tell me?” 

“...” Tobirama stands like a statue at her side. 

“...It’d be good if you consider sharing stuff with me once in a while, you know? It’s annoying to be oblivious to everything that happens with my escorts.” Irritated, she takes a sip of her drink without losing the rhythm and elegance forced in her bones; her native language flows naturally and quite casually. 

He just snorts without showing anything on his face, but she can almost see the glint in his eyes that she ignores. “It is a shinobi matter. I do not think it is of your interest.” 

“You are my companions... sometimes I feel alone about that, though,” she growls unwillingly remembering how much it frustrates her that they don’t confide in her. “I’m not asking for secrets... just something, like... it's going well, we’re almost done, or it’ll take a little longer.” 

The albino looks at her. “It has taken a while...” 

“Do you think you’ll be back tomorrow?” 

“No.” 

“Uh... did it get complicated?” 

“A bit,” the shinobi comments critically and reluctantly. 

She shrugs, less annoyed by such a brief summary of his daily life. “Okay.” 

“Are you worried?” 

“Of course. You are my comrades.” 

The albino doesn’t say anything else. “If the clone explodes... that will mean something is happening,” the man simply admits. 

“Explode?” Karen blinks hard imagining the worst-case scenario. She stays quiet to sigh, leaving her with the doubt in her mind. 

“Hashirama has sent a report,” he comments returning to the local language, changing the subject without answering her. He could have at least given her some clues as to what exactly he means by explode, she thought to herself; she supposes it’s not the same for someone who hasn’t seen action movies. 

The girl sighs and sips her tea, remaining spontaneous at the mention of the clan leader. “Did he?” 

“The Nara, Akimichi and Yamanaka have begun to settle down.” 

“So soon?!” She frowns at the urgency of this. Only yesterday she was informed of the confirmation of said clans’ move and the blatant use of the possible village in the meeting with the nobles in front of the Daimyo. A hot topic she has been weighing since she read this in a letter the day before. 

“We are shinobis,” the man reminded with no kindness as if it were the most obvious answer. 

“Uh... I know, but it seems too soon considering how long it took the Uchiha and Senju to do so.” 

“They left that same day to see the area,” Tobirama recalls at that casual point in the story before settling into the new land. 

The construction and every problem they went through for the adaptation; even now, it is something difficult to overcome. 

“Besides, the Nara clan is a natural strategist. They see the usefulness of moving as soon as possible,” the albino continues his explanation lightly. 

“Yes, Hashirama told me when we saw the contract.” 

“Hm.” 

“Well... I suppose when we get back, we’ll see progress.” She feels excited about some kind of change around her and meeting new people who, although shinobi, she is curious to contact. Plus, the dealings with the leaders of those clans were mostly carried out by Hashirama himself. 

She has never seen them face to face. 

As if guessing her emotion, Tobirama adds with no casualness in his tone, “They are shinobi. You do not have to trust them easily.” 

“I know they are shinobi, just... the more people around, the more different perspectives there are,” the woman admits with an audible pout. “What are they like?” She’d rather ask now before being surprised by things that are so normal for them, like when she first saw Madara’s red eyes or Hashirama’s wood. 

Even the red eyes and white hair of her fiancé were once to be feared, in those days of dark adaptation... when she was somewhat foolish. 

“...” Tobirama blinks hard. 

“Come on... do they have blue hair? ...Or striking purple?” She remembers the colorful hues of some characters that her sister was a fan of, about that story whose name she doesn’t remember well. Knights of the... something. The man rolls his eyes. 

“Not here,” he states not being subtle, just when one of the maids has the courage to interrupt their conversation. She looks pale, a little distraught; although she had noticed before the line between shinobi and civilians, it is so noticeable now how terrified they are of Tobirama. 

She sighs and casually stands up, being helped by the shinobi who shoots out his hand to support her up. “Thank you,” she calmly accepts, watching the girl fidget on her spot. “Do you need something, Shumire-san?” she asks, recalling the name of said helper. Or is it Tanako? 

“I-I am Akane, ma’am?” the maid corrects bowing her head mannerly, not avoiding glacing at her fiancé who snorts to give an ‘I’ll be around’ gesture that Karen doesn’t question. Both he and Izuna remain hidden, taking advantage of their fame to not socialize or deal with simple civilians. 

“Oh, pardon my mistake,” the woman says belatedly, taking a step forward and ignoring the girl¡s tension and her squeal of surprise at her friend’s disappearance. It’s been a while since she saw that reaction, although she doesn’t remember very well if she got just as scared. 

Those days were hollow, so she just tries to forget... she has no desire to deal with this shock. 

Because she hasn’t dealt with this many civilians before... not for a long time. 

──

The meeting of the nobles is early; they gather at 9 sharp in a fairly large room at the end of the hall where she is staying. Karen walks with her head held high despite the evil looks of various high-born men who whisper, not at all pleased, giving her dramatic and lustful glances that she tries to ignore. 

No one makes physical contact, nor has anyone attempted to approach her since the Daimyo casually mentioned her engagement to the infamous white assassin, a respectable whinobi whose fame, although bloody, caused her to be taken seriously. 

It’s not like he asked Tobirama to kill whoever bothered her... However, Shinji was casual in subtly stating that he would do it, including his sufficiently irritated wife. 

A threat as firm as his position within the council, despite the coup that is surely brewing under the shadow of some hypocritical ally. Still, Karen sits right next to the imposing man who smiles softly at her with a “good morning”. 

“Good morning.” The only woman in the meeting responds to the Daimyo and then looks at the rest of the chamber, who twist their mouths at her normal greeting. “Where I come from, it is polite to greet back,” she says with disappointment without paying attention to the bitterness of the other men, of which very few speak back. 

They are surely the ones who have a better perception of her... other than the simple whore who rose by means of her body. 

Scandal. 

“Do not worry, they have manners... they are just not in the mood today,” Shinji mocks with a solid look at the others, who tense up at the not-so-firm threat of a leader capable of executing if he deems it prudent. 

The girl has heard it from the few assistants who come close; how infamous he can be even though he has only shown her a diplomatic and mischievous side, but she has learned these days that not for nothing he is the leader of this country. 

“I imagine,” Karen agrees to look at the scrolls on her desk, thus beginning the easy meeting between political, economic, diplomatic and social issues that she easily maneuvers through with the little she has learned, standing out as always for her way of handling the topic that is only managed by men. 

A foolishness of Shinji... to keep the cover of his goal of keeping her with him. 

And not to unravel what is hidden under their noses... 

──

Toshiba is the second cousin of the current leader. A shy boy who gives her blushing glances when he tries to approach her about complicated matters they addressed at the meeting. Shinji gives him a careful gesture... she sees that in his eyes he always reflects confidence from some story they both share from the past. 

Very few receive that type of look from him, even though he works alongside one of his half-brothers, one who survived a purge years ago, just when he was promoted to Daimyo; a family/political drama that she knows about briefly, without detail since she is a foreigner. 

“I-I...” the boy tries with slight hesitation just as he stops her at the exit with several scrolls in hand and a series of exaggerated motions that a child of his age should not have, much less in the nest of vipers that is this place. 

“You can speak naturally,” the civilian doesn’t scold him but comments while standing up to her full height despite the difference in centimeters. 

He blinks for a few seconds in amusement, putting aside his shy appearance a little, which makes her arch her eyebrow at this brief shadow that he shows. “W-well, I wanted to know about the financial topic you mentioned... Does it have to do with the economy?” 

“It does,” the woman accepts. Ehen the subject was introduced in the meeting, some were fascinated because of the ease with which she explained it and presented the benefits within the process that is carried out among civilians. Others dismissed it when they saw the example in the shinobi village... Something that she is sure she can share, and it is not off-limits. 

Just like diplomacy and shinobi stuff, finance is naturally exposed when there’s an economy, so there’s no secret to it. 

“So... if finances are managed by farmers, merchants and the soldiers themselves... can stability be achieved?” 

“Of course. As long as there is no external issue that harms it,” Karen states with ease, keeping her hands hidden under the large sleeves of her elegant yukata, one that she brought by chance that was mysteriously supplied to her. 

She is sure Tobirama is aware of the deficiency of her clothing, something he has begun to realize in light of her own role as a cover... The man is remarkably efficient. 

A positive thing for the woman who smiles at the look of the person who questions her. “You know, Toshiba-san, you do not have to doubt too much and ask ahead. I am just a servant of this advice,” she clarifies before her position which, although subtle, stays intact. 

“I-I... Well, I know you possess a lot of knowledge. I would like to debate some terms.” The man stands firm, his eyes showing a rare flame that is reflected in his docile appearance. 

“I do not think so, Toshiba-kun.” Shinji squeezes his shoulder at the highly motivated younger relative. “Her fiancé is very jealous of having his wife with a man... in her room.” 

“I did not say in her room!” The blushing cousin raises his hands, throwing away part of the scrolls due to such a mischievous comment from said leader. She understands that there is an etiquette that she must maintain as a noble lady, so she bows. 

“I apologize, but I do not think it is possible to meet with you, Toshiba-san. And, Shinji-sama, do not bother your relative with threats of that kind,” the woman sighs elegantly, arching her eyebrow at the leader who approached from where he was arguing with some guards regarding security. 

A flourishing topic due to the raids that are beginning to take place. 

“Oh, not at all... I just do not want my adorable cousin to end up missing,” the Daimyo shrugs. “Because I will not get you involved if Tobirama-san defends your virtue.” 

Karen wants to hit herself in the face for such a shameless comment. It is obvious that he lost her decency a few days ago when he started talking freely, but it is her fault for giving him that confidence in exchange for his favor towards the possible shinobi village, causing a laugh to come out of the amused leader. 

She doesn’t want to get too involved, so she bows to say goodbye at the initiative of doubts on the part of her benefactor’s relative. She sighs... unaware that she has caught the attention of those shadows and whose leader was closer than she expected... noticing from afar how the eyes of Shinji’s half-brother were looking at her. 

Coincidence? She doesn’t know... It’s better to remain oblivious and innocent of knowing that something is going on under the darkness of this brilliant country. 

Karen thinks positive. 

──

Her heart was in an uproar just as she had been talking casually to Tobirama that night and he had dramatically exploded into a smoke bomb that made her cough loudly with terror in her eyes from remembering her fiancé’s words. 

‘If the clone explodes... that will mean something is happening.’ 

Which makes her get up just in time to look around at that door that opens onto the beautiful view of the garden. She feels attentive; her heart is still racing even though minutes have passed since her partner’s clone disappeared. She has a lump in her chest at the sight of nothing happening. 

Nevertheless, she has a presentiment... just as the door is opened. 

“Akane-san?” she questions when she sees a woman speeding through the door. Her clothes are somewhat disheveled and her frightened eyes search for her. “What’s going-” She doesn’t finish asking when a warm blood stain crosses her face. 

She stays in shock, standing in the middle of the room, wiping her face of the crimson color of the young girl who falls headlong like a sack of potatoes. “Well... I am glad to see you here,” someone calls just as they come out from behind the back of the body of the girl who she had previously seen alive. 

“Toshiba?” There are no suffixes. Karen looks still without completely thinking about what she has just witnessed... She saw someone die for the first time! And the knot in her stomach falls so hard that it makes her blink more times to recover. It is so different from what happened in the Senju compound when they tried to invade them. 

“Ho... I see you remember my name.” Infamous and without any signs of his typical kindness, the boy takes her chin with a half-smile. When did it come to this? Why is she surrounded by samurai and shinobi? Where did they come from? 

She has so many questions... but they are all stuck in the shock that remains unwashed... She saw someone die! Her mind is in chaos. 

“I think now... you are the shy one,” the Daimyo’s cousin mocks quicky, caressing her cheek without subtlety. “Tell me... do you prefer your life to your position?” 

“What do you mean?” Karen comes out of her stupor, hitting the hand of the one who shamelessly mocks her despite being pointed at with a kunai. Her gaze is fixed, angry... pissed off! “WHAT DO YOU MEAN?!” 

“Wow... now, you are the woman who surprised me. Answer me this... Is it true that if I kill you, that shinobi will come?” The Daimyo’s relative laughs. “It has been problematic dealing with them...” He looks at his nails, giving the silent order to arrest her. 

The girl feels the samurai at her side tighten his grip on her waist as the kunai is replaced by a katana that pierces her neck just inches away from cutting it. She gulps, sweating coldly; she is now sure they are not planning on selling her... 

Karen doesn’t say anything. Toshiba just cackles. 

“I suppose your stupidity is because of the idea that you will be saved... but, you know, you should not trust the shinobi. They are treacherous and sell themselves for the higher bidder,” the insolent man points out to those around him. Ninja who show nothing on their faces with various clothes and appearances that seem exotic. 

Although she is sure they are not Uchiha, Uzumaki or Senju. 

“What do you think?” He has the nerve to run his index finger across her cheek again and end up on her cleavage. “Will he come?” he chuckles just to look beyond her clothes where her chest rests unsettled. “It is a shame that you have already been defiled by one, but I will not get bored if I have fun with you... right?” 

If it weren’t for the fact that the atmosphere became tense in seconds with an essence and the thunder of the ground for a few seconds, it would be another story. However, she takes advantage of the carelessness to do something crazy with the little training she might have had. Karen feels a cut on her neck... the scream of Toshiba from behind ordering her to be caught. 

But the followers don't catch her... Something stops them just as the building that had previously housed her explodes behind her, falling directly into something warm... She gets scared, tries to flee but the stranger takes her by the arms with a firm gesture. “Calm down,” he orders with a hoarse voice that she didn’t think she would feel so much relief upon hearing. 

The girl opens her eyes and stops kicking to see those red eyes that, although tired and beaten, give her the best flat gesture that makes her almost cry. She hugs him... she doesn’t avoid doing it when she thought the worst as it happened in a short time. “There is no time for this.” As always, breaking the moment, the man sighs to take her and jump away of what would be several kunai. 

“Hey asshole! I know you’re relieved to see her, but it would be nice if you could help me!” Izuna shouts from somewhere in the beautiful courtyard just to feel the pull in the air. There’s wind... She tries not to scream because of the speed with which they move in complicated movements that would be difficult to describe as she can’t see but imagines by the many unexpected turns. 

She wants to throw up. 

“Karen... close your eyes and bear with it,” Tobirama orders to cling to her form. She doesn’t complain about his tone, much less the way he grabs her, because she knows it’s not the best time to ask stupid questions... The woman swallows hard. 

“Y-yes,” she encourages herself to say to do what was indicated seconds apart since this is not the best experience, and no roller coaster compares to this. 

For a civilian... being in the middle of a battle is not the most essential thing, nor the historical value of witnessing a coup d’état of this magnitude. 

A/N: As you can see, this has already exploded; a very difficult thing to guess when they believed the real ringleader was someone else. At least Tobirama arrived in time given how annoying his fiancée is by calling the attention of the leader of the coup... Ironic, since she is a simple civilian, but her political courage and good head are notable. 

Izuna, on the other hand, will have plenty of material to blackmail the infamous white assassin... something he will not waste judging by the desperate way he never thought he would see his former rival. Especially when they noticed that the coup d’état had exploded right in the Daimyo’s main building. 

But what happened? Where is the Daimyo? Will they win? I don’t know... we’ll see in the next chapter. 

Thank you for your likes and comments. 

Author-chan out! 

[jacksgreysays]

Primadonna Girl (fills the void up with celluloid), a DoS recursive fic (2023-01-26)

Grandfather refuses to teach him any more shadow jutsu. “At least not until you’re a little older,” he says, “you’ve already made so much progress. No need to push yourself too hard.” He smooths a hand over Shikadai’s head, warm and full of affection, but he’s not looking at Shikadai.

Not really.

Shikadai understands. He does. Shikadai has been told his entire life that he has his mother’s eyes but… somehow… still looks just like his father?

Personally, Shikadai doesn’t really see the resemblance. Or, rather, he sees the resemblance everywhere in so many other Nara clan members that it doesn’t seem particularly noteworthy. If anything, Shikadai thinks he looks more like Uncle Kino than his father.

He even says as much to Uncle Kino later, even though he knows observations like that—flat and without sentiment for a father he never got to meet—tend to make his family uneasy.

Uncle Kino doesn’t say anything in response, just raises an eyebrow and waits: Uncle Kino is next in line to be the clan’s spiritual leader after Kasuga-jiisan. Uncle Kino is invited every year to the Fire Temple as a guest lecturer on the matter of serenity and internal balance. Uncle Kino willingly takes shifts at the missions desk.

“I just—I know it’s not enough. I’m not. I mean. I’m not… I… I’m just frustrated,” Shikadai crumples, unable to outlast his uncle in a matter of patience and more than a little ashamed of his own behavior.

Uncle Kino nods, acknowledgement and forgiveness both. Nara are very efficient like that.

Shikadai sighs. “I want to learn more—no, I need to learn more—and I know I can’t push too hard or I’ll fall. But I just… I need to be ready.”

At that, Uncle Kino’s gaze sharpens, analytic and searching. “Ready for what?” he asks, with almost the same look Grandfather gave Shikadai but Uncle Kino has always been honest about seeing Shikadai as his own person, not an echo of his father.

Shikadai thought he understood. But what if—

“Ready for what?” Uncle Kino asks, searching, seeking.

—it’s not almost the same look Grandfather gave Shikadai. It is the very same look.

Shikadai shrugs, turns away. “I don’t know,” he answers, but his mind is already flying in a different direction.

If it’s not Shikadai’s father they’re seeing, then who?

—

Shikadai’s mother is the greatest wind jutsu user in the Elemental Nations, maybe even the world.

Thankfully, that’s fact and not opinion because Shikadai is understandably biased.

It could be argued that Shikadai is a momma’s boy—by default, what with only having the one parent—but he thinks he’d have to see her more often to make that true. She’s a being of wind, happiest traveling around the Elemental Nations. She loved his father enough to settle down and start a family. Even after his father died, she stayed long enough to make sure that Shikadai had a good childhood—a better childhood than the one she had, certainly. A better childhood than he would have had without her—waiting until he was old enough for the academy’s E-rank missions before she started taking longer and farther missions. And when she returns, it’s that much sweeter.

She loves him and when she loves, she loves fiercely; as fierce as the wind.

And because she loves as fierce of the wind, she will never go back to Sand for what they’ve taken from her.

—

There are many fascinating aspects of the elemental natures of chakra. To begin with, there are five primary elements to which most people’s chakra might align to—Fire, Lightning, Wind, Water, Earth—which is the level of understanding needed to pass an Academy exam but not much else. Like many things in the world, it’s not actually that simple but for the sake of brevity today’s discussion will focus on this particular aspect:

Sometimes, if there exists a precise and balanced ratio, rather than one element reigning supreme over the others, or the elements staying strictly separate, there can be a mixture so thoroughly blended and potent that it creates a new element.

For example, the previously thought long lost Yuki clan are not the only ones who can control ice and snow with their chakra but members of that bloodline are able to do so without the extra step of ninjutsu controlling the mix of wind and water chakra (see the confirmed list of ninjutsu from the Snow Village of Land of Spring in the appendices.) In contrast, the Shodaime Hokage was renowned for his Mokuton, an ability that was not seen in any of his siblings or his children. Records are sparse—except for the Nidaime, nearly as famous for his talents with water—but those immediate relatives tended to be either water natured, earth natured, or both separately, but not unified.

The appearance of Mokuton in the anecdotal case of Yamato Tenzo—who underwent extensive gene therapy as a child—is a reflection of the Shodaime Hokage’s elemental nature unaffected by the subject’s original elemental expression. This implies—though does not prove—that the elemental nature of chakra, the Mokuton in particular, is a consistent phenotypic representation (studies into elemental natures of genetically identical twins are currently underway, the sample sizes are not large enough to be conclusive.)

Thus it is entirely possible that the so called extinct Mokuton can be revived—or, perhaps, replicated is the more accurate term—in a child with the previously mentioned precise and balanced ratio of its two progenitor elements.

—excerpt from the transcript of Nara Satori’s “Lectures on Elemental Chakra”

Classification level 3. For access, contact Nara Shikaku, Nara Kasuga, or Nara Kinokawa.

—

Shikadai’s mother will never go back to Sand, but she goes to the Garden sometimes to meet with her brother, the Kazekage.

Shikadai is not allowed to go. He thinks it’s strange that he has an uncle who he’s never met and will very likely never meet, if his mother has her way, or at least not until he’s a full chuunin. And by then what is Shikadai supposed to call him? Uncle Kazekage? Kankuro-sama? Man who I’ve never met, but unless you have a child I’m your heir?

Weird.

There’s a lot of things that are strange about his relationship with the Hidden Sand Village—or rather, his very deliberate non-relationship with the Hidden Sand Village—considering the person who is most invested in keeping him away from there is also the reason why he even has a connection to it.

But his mother always gets a pinched look on the rare occasions when it comes up, a furrow in between her eyebrows, mouth pressed into a tight line. She’ll teach him wind jutsu and even how to use her war fan to augment them, but he’s not allowed to actually have a war fan of his own—he’s not a member of Sand’s Wind Corps, after all.

Which means he’s definitely not allowed to sign the weasel summons.

—

There aren’t many pictures of his father in the house. To be fair, there aren’t many pictures of anyone in the house: most of the interior decoration is traditional paintings of the forest and the deer and back when technology was scarcer photographs were mostly used for medical and/or official purposes.

But there is one of his father as a teenager, unsurprisingly seated at a shogi board. What is surprising are the people across the board from him. Or, rather, one person across the board from him in particular is surprising: a young Uzumaki Naruto, Nanadaime Hokage.

Obviously Shikadai knows that even the Hokage must have been a kid, too, at one point—a kind of stumpy looking one at that, given how much shorter he is than the rest of the people in the photo—but to see him in a picture with Shikadai’s father? In this house?

There was nothing particularly overt, but Shikadai had always gotten the feeling that his family didn’t like the Hokage. Even Aunt Ino who, as the head of her department, would have to work closely with the Hokage didn’t seem to like him; coldly professional to a tee. Even Uncle Chouji—who likes everyone!—would always go blank and stoic. Both of Shikadai’s grandparents would just look sad, gaze turning away, distant, and Uncle Kino would try and fail to smile, then shake his head and say, “don’t worry about it.”

So why have a picture of him in the house?

No, that’s not the right question: what’s so important about this picture that they’d tolerate the Hokage in it? If they just wanted a picture of his father as a teenager, they’d probably use a better one of him with Aunt Ino and Uncle Chouji. And while it’s interesting to see a younger version of Sarada’s father, it’s more likely that the reason is the Nara girl in the center.

Shikadai doesn’t recognize her, but given the decades between now and then she could very well be a clan member he sees every day without knowing it. Though that wouldn’t explain why this picture, why she would be that important then. Or, rather, if she’s that important why would Shikadai not remember meeting her? Why wouldn’t she visit this house where she is so clearly treasured?

Unless she can’t. And maybe the reason why she can’t is the same reason why his family is so uneasy with the Hokage.

—

So. His progress is stalled on shadow jutsu until he gets older. The earth jutsu he does know is already at the upper limits of his chakra capacity. Wind jutsu is limited to what his mother can and is willing to teach him. And he really shouldn’t be experimenting with anything else without supervision. Shikadai could branch out from ninjutsu but genjutsu is really more Inojin’s specialty, and taijutsu is Chouchou’s.

He really wants a summon.

The most common Nara clan summoning contracts are the blackbirds and bats which makes sense—small, flying messengers for a clan whose specialty is information as much as shadows—but they’d be buffeted by his wind jutsu, not riding the gusts like the weasels have been trained to, and he wants something a little more combat oriented anyway.

Maybe he could try reverse summoning himself and see where he ends up? But there are enough cautionary tales about that: not just the dangers of being in the summoning realm, but the possibility that the creatures to whom you appear might already be contracted to a different clan or village or may just be hostile to humans.

There are other contracts within the Nara clan, though those ones aren’t as easy to sign as the blackbirds and bats. And he knows there are personal contracts that some members of the Nara clan have, but Shikadai is worried that if he asks they might feel obligated to let him sign since he’s clan heir.

Although… why don’t they have a deer contract? It would make sense, but Shikadai has never heard of anyone using deer in the field.

“There is a deer contract,” Uncle Kino answers, slowly, carefully, like he’s vetting each word before he says it. “The previous holder passed away before you were born.”

Shikadai thinks he recognizes the look on his uncle’s face. “Was it my father?” he asks, although now Shikadai thinks this look isn’t about his father at all.

“No,” Uncle Kino says easily. “The previous holder was Sembei-obaasan. She was fairly old even when I was born.”

There’s something he’s not saying, but what? If the previous holder of the deer contract was that old when Uncle Kino was born, then she had to have known what would happen eventually. She would have prepared an heir for the scroll at least, if not the contract itself.

“If the previous holder was Sembei-obaasan,” Shikadai says, just as slowly, carefully, “then who is the current holder?”

Affectionate pride flashes across Uncle Kino’s face before he says, out of nowhere, “Let’s go watch a movie.”

—

A few months before Shikadai was born, the Godaime Kazekage disappeared.

No trail, no explanation, nothing.

Understandably, the Hidden Sand Village panicked. Something that could take out their Kazekage—their jinchuuriki Kazekage—must be impossibly powerful and so they prepared for the worst. No threat appeared. However, there was still no sign of their missing Kazekage.

It gets worse.

The nature of succession in Sand is such that the Kazekage can only come from the clan of the Kazekage. Thus the only options were his siblings: Wind Mistress Temari and Kankurou the Puppeteer, both of them formidable in their own right but neither of them having the fabled Magnetic Release their bloodline was known for.

The choice should have been clear since Temari had married into a different clan—and a different village’s clan at that!—but, of course, politics complicate even the simplest matters.

Kankurou was the only sibling who remained in Sand. He had proved himself as leader of the Puppet Corps. Clever, skilled, and charming in his own way, there should have been no objections amongst the council.

But this was still too soon after Gaara’s disappearance: puppeteers, though immensely respected, are known more for their finesse than their power. Strangely charismatic does not necessarily translate to diplomatic; in his efforts to be as contrary to the council as possible, most of Kankurou’s connections were on the civilian side, nobles and merchants, patrons of the arts.

In contrast, while Temari held no official authority within the Wind Corps, it was no secret that she was their strongest member. Her chuunin career had been filled with diplomatic missions to the other hidden villages, where her cunning and martial prowess could serve Sand best. And, unfortunately, there were those who considered her Sand’s best chance to revive the lost Magnetic Release.

Perhaps, in a less fraught situation, the council might have rallied behind Kankurou—a Kazekage focused on bringing the traditions of Sand to the present, ushering in economic and cultural prosperity. A Kazekage for an age of peace the likes of which the Hidden Sand Village had never before experienced.

Perhaps a less panicked council might have approached Temari with a proposal—become the Kazekage, be the pillar of strength that the village needs. Bring your husband and have your family in Sand where you are vital, the breath and heartbeat of your people. Protector and champion of the desert.

Of course, those would have been very different stories.

—

One of the weirdest parts about the Nara clan library is the movie collection. Most of it is comprised of documentaries that various Nara have created as part of their research, or other documentaries that various Nara referenced in their research, or yet other documentaries that Nara Takatori thought should be included. Then there’s the fiction section but that really ought to just be called the Kako Heijo section, because the only movies in the fiction section are those in which Kako Heijo starred in, wrote, directed, choreographed, or produced.

When he was younger, Shikadai thought it was Uncle Kino’s one instance of pulling rank and using his position to ensure he had easy access to his favorite celebrity’s movies. Now that he’s older, Shikadai knows that, firstly, the Nara librarians can not be intimidated or coerced or charmed in any way that would risk their curation of knowledge. Secondly, it’s the library that requests the internal clan missions for retrieval of Kako Heijo’s movies, not Uncle Kino who has his own personal collection.

Shikadai doesn’t really get it: she’s cool and all for a civilian actress—everyone knows she does her own stunts—and it’s not like her forays into writing and directing aren’t also international hits even when she isn’t the one in front of the camera. But that doesn’t explain why the Nara librarians and his uncle are so fixated on her specifically and not any other celebrity.

They even have a copy of her first major role: a Princess Fuun spinoff which didn’t flop, per se, but was praised more for the action scenes and special effects than the bland narrative. The whole premise was a pretty big reach considering her character’s role was so minor in the last Princess Fuun movie she didn’t have a name.

So it’s weird that, of all the Kako Heijo movies he could choose, it’s that one Uncle Kino has them watch. The last Princess Fuun movie, that is, not the spinoff. Except Uncle Kino isn’t actually watching it even though booking the soundproof viewing room in the Nara library is tedious. To be fair, they keep making references to previous Princess Fuun movies that neither of them have seen, and its plot is slow and weird until suddenly it isn’t because then there’s a real shinobi battle happening and Shikadai recognizes three of the combatants because they’re the same teenagers in the photo with his father.

“We have a photo of a teenage Kako Heijo in our house,” Shikadai says, baffled. “Was she a foster cousin?” Sometimes that happens. If a clan member from outside the village wants to go to the Academy, they’ll be fostered with relatives within Konoha. Not usually with the clan head, though, but maybe since she was similar in age to his father?

Then Shikadai remembers. “Kako Heijo is the current holder of the deer summon?”

And even though they’re in the soundproof, dimly lit viewing room, Uncle Kino still covers his mouth and murmurs almost too low for Shikadai to hear.

“Her name was Nara Shikako. She’s my older sister, and your father’s twin.”

—

The assassins very specifically not from Sand are killed in action, but not before the names of their employers are ripped out of them: a coalition of five councilors who preferred Temari for Rokudaime Kazekage, the leader of which preferred an unmarried Temari in particular for his son with earth natured chakra.

Unsurprisingly, this did not work. The recently widowed Temari had even less inclination to return to Sand, digging her heels in and formally renouncing her ties to the Kazekage position and clan.

Now the literal only choice, Kankurou was quickly sworn in as Rokudaime, his first action being to arrest the coalition and offer them up to face Konoha’s justice and hopefully preserve their alliance. A smart move which, to some extent, fixed the issue.

For Sand, that is.

In Konoha, it got worse.

Because the Nara clan, with their Akimichi and Yamanaka allies at their side, were baying for blood--none more so than the victim’s twin sister.

Had it been the Godaime Hokage—raised with the importance of clan politics, understanding how concessions must be made for peace—there would have been no problem. Had it been the Rokudaime Hokage—less concerned with village policy, but more familiar with the grief of being unable to protect those closest to him—there would have been some hesitation, before he turned the prisoners over to face the wild-eyed wrath of his student.

Of course, those would have been very different stories…

… how unfortunate that neither of those were the case.

It was the Nanadaime Hokage, fresh into his reign, who received the offered prisoners from Sand. The Nanadaime Hokage who refused to kill and expressed disappointment toward those who did. The Nanadaime Hokage who had lost his jounin commander, knew that his closest friends were proponents of vengeance, and was known as much for his stubbornness as his dislike of the death penalty.

For their safety, he sentenced them to multiple life terms in the highest security prison.

Against one particularly motivated Nara?

Not a chance.

—

Now that Shikadai has been read into the existence of his secret yet also simultaneously incredibly famous aunt, he also gets to learn that Uncle Kino’s yearly invitation to the Fire Temple is a cover. Well, he is actually a guest lecturer on the matter of serenity and internal balance, and it is a legitimate sabbatical for him in order to one day succeed Kasuga-jiisan as the clan’s next spiritual leader.

The fact that one of the yearly attendees is an incognito Kako Heijo is coincidence. Plausibly deniable coincidence.

Now that Shikadai is in on the secret and of an age where he can go on clan training outside of the village, he also gets to attend. And if he happens to meet the incognito Kako Heijo, well, what a plausibly deniable coincidence that would also be.

He’s more than a little nervous to meet her. For a lot of reasons. Out of just practicality, he hopes she finds him worthy enough to sign the deer summoning contract because that’s what led to this venture to begin with.

Less logically, he hopes he doesn’t embarrass himself because she seems really cool. Kako Heijo the civilian celebrity was already cool on her own, but adding that she’s a secret maybe undercover shinobi, or maybe blacklisted but not a missing nin. The mystery is cool. And Uncle Kino showed him her old Bingo Book entries and she was definitely S-rank. That’s so cool.

But ultimately, in a squishier, emotional sense he hopes she likes him because… that’s his aunt. And, sure, Shikadai didn’t know she existed for basically his entire life, but still… he hopes he’s someone that she would be proud of.

He hopes she sees him for himself and likes him.

—

A/N: Sometimes you just have to write a hyper specific, meandering, and bleak future fic AU that still somehow doesn’t hit all the issues you poured onto this world and also decide you don’t want to do any dialogue except for Kino who had such a huge role in this for some reason?

What a niche scenario this is! I don’t even have that many feelings about Shikadai, he’s just a good vessel/POV for this fucked up future fic.

Like, I have some Thoughts™ about what the ANY clans in general, and Ino and Chouji in particular, are doing in this ‘verse (understandably they are very pissed, but they are biding their time.)

I probably should have done a section about how Shikako killing those Sand councilors basically almost kicked off a civil war which is why she's out there being international superstar Kako Heijo but I figured I should end on a Shikadai section and I hope the implication is there?

I also don't know how clear I was that Shikadai has Magnetic Release but doesn't really know it and also doesn't want to experiment with it by himself because unlike his aunt, he likes to learn new things in a safe and controlled environment.

I would love to answer questions about this AU so if you have any, send those my way!

[canonical-transformation]

“Everyone always bends over backwards not to say 'die', don't you think?” Dunyarzad laughed, exasperated. “It's always metaphors and euphemisms. 'Pass on', 'visit Irminsul', 'go to a better place'...

“When I was a kid, I thought it was another one of those things adults think children aren't grown-up enough to know about, like where babies come from, or how much the maids get paid. But it turns out people just really don't want to think about death, much less talk about it. Not when it's up close and real. Not when I'm in the room.”

In the climactic chapter of Nara Agni, Hu Tao faces Marana, the memory of death, and seeks an answer to its riddle. Zhongli tells Dunyarzad tales from faraway lands. Zhongli and Dunyarzad talk about living in the shadow of death.

[neuroticbookworm]

Current Tag Game

Tagged by my dear friends/mutuals/incoherent scream sesh partners @twig-tea (here), @colourme-feral (here), @blmpff (here), @telomeke (here) and @waitmyturtles (here)

Current Time: nearly 5:00 PM

Current activity: Doomscrolling on social media (not recommended), writing this post (highly recommended, please interact on Tumblr, that's what makes this hellsite fun!)

Currently thinking about: Just watched the IFYLITA finale this morning with my bestie @lurkingshan, so my brain is currently ??????-ing all the different iterations of Yai we got to see (I like that Commander Yai looks more self-assured and confident than our widdle-20-something-lost-and-confused-baby Yai, but, DEAR LORD, The Mustache has to go. Just.. nope. Get that man a razor, STAT). Oh, and also, thinking about dinner.

Current favourite song: I recently watched Utsukushii Kare / My Beautiful Man (Season 1) a few days ago and I have the song from the opening credits stuck in my head on repeat: Caramel / カラメル by Mosawo / もさを。(Original MV with English captions)

(I'm also gonna link the Utsukushii Kare Lyric MV from MBS because I want Kiyoi's pretty face on my post)

I've also been feeling nostalgic lately and listening to some decade-old bangers from my teen years (ah time, thou art a cruel wench)

Patakha Guddi lyrics, translated from Hindi, here

Mogathirai lyrics, translated from Tamil, here

Currently reading: Nothin' but meta posts from the lovely big-brained folks of Tumblrville

Currently watching: Oooooh. I actually wrapped up a lot of live watches and caught up on some incredible shows last week, so lemme do 3 mini-lists:

Recently Watched: Only Friends, Utsukushii Kare / My Beautiful Man, If It's With You / Kimi to Nara Koi wo Shite Mite mo, I Feel You Linger In The Air

Currently Watching: Midnight Diner / Shinya Shokudo, endless reruns of Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Community

Next-Up on the Watchlist: I Cannot Reach You / Kimi ni wa Todokanai, Shadow, Dark Blue Kiss, Middleman's Love, Last Twilight, Playboyy, The Whisperer

Current favourite character: Ryuji from If It's With You.

< mild spoilers ahead for If It's With You >

This show did an incredible job portraying two people who have different levels/intensities of desire for one another and I was *floored* when Ryuji responded to Amane's confession in episode 4 with so much care, thoughtfulness and respect for both Amane's desire and his own boundaries. "Please make it one sided for a while" will live in my head rent free for the foreseeable future.

And Amane and Ryuji's conversation at the beach in the finale was another heartfelt and expertly written moment. I deeply adore how Ryuji basically went "I miss you and want to meet you whenever I feel like it, and if that means being a lover, then so be it. Let's date".

So yeah, I'm in love with this highly articulate, fictional, Japanese teenage boy

Current WIP: Ohhhhh man, SO MANY. The most pressing one is a retrospective meta on the Only Friends finale, which I must release into the wild before people move on from the show

Tags: I'm epically late to this one, so I might tag folks who have already done this, so if I do, apologies, friends!

@bengiyo, @italianpersonwithashippersheart, @sunshinechay, @syrena-del-mar, @ranchthoughts, @troubled-mind, @sorry-bonebag, @so-much-yet-to-learn and anyone else who wants to participate. No presh!

[artistic-endchamber]

(launches myself into your inbox with a cannon)

AAAAHHHHHH!

Can I ask, uh... (can't say all the questions, can't say all the questions. Refrain, Erika, refrain.) How about 5 for Giana, 9 for Mary, and then 10 for both Giana and Mary~? Pretty please?

WAHHHHH ERIKA THAK YOU FOR THESE GRAHHHHH!!

Giana

5.

Ooc:

Giana has shadow magic because I thought it would be fun. I really liked the concept of shadow control and manipulation, and I was reliving naruto (still am tbh) and I wanted to use the concept of shadpw latching (Like Shikimaru Nara) somewhere! It was only later I found out that A, it's very rare and B, Only Nacht has it and is a prodominent character. But tbh, that made it better! Giana is like an apprentice to Nacht.

Giana Is on the same level as the Light Traid (Noelle, Yuno, and Asta) I would say! I say this because I usually like my OC's to be on the same level as their s/o's unless specified otherwise. I felt Yuno wouldn't also pay much attention to someone that is weak and someone who can't really work up the courage to get stronger either.

Ic:

Shadows tie into the element of Darkness. This gave me a reason to give her her magic and still incorporate her dark (Get the pun?) backstory into her life.

Giana started working extra hard ever since her encounter (You'll find out soon!) with Yuno. She was also born with a Royal's mana!

10.

I really like the little part of her that loves to draw and map. I feel like it enrichens her story and character and rounds her out instead of just making her be a fighter. She loves her maps. My little cartographer <3

Mary

9.

Oh, come on now. Mary is most DEFINETLY the straight man. She gets pissed off easily too; so it doesn't take long for her to whoop peoples asses (Especially Magna's)

10.

Her redemption arc is very nice. I usually don't do the whole "I did some wrong things but I desperately want to make it up" trope for major OCs.... but gosh, she's so compelling.

[goldensadnessdolphin]

I find it fascinating, that, of the classical 5 senses (touch, smell, taste, sight, hearing), we only really have two physical absence words: the darkness (or absence of sight) and silence (the absence of sound). There is no real experience of the absence of the others that we can experience in culture. Individuals can, with disorders, but culturally, most people never have had the option to experience the absence of touch for example like we do with sight just by something simple like closing your eyes.

And of those two special cases, darkness and silence, one feels more physical. I can see my shadow, I can manipulate it willingly and quite precisely. I wondered if and how one could calculate a shadow's volume, because one can calculate its area. So that's weird, but I'd assume most people would just say it doesn't matter or it's only of interest for philosophy.

On the other hand, if I wonder what the area of silence is, it immediately sounds ridiculous to me. Silence can't have an area, it's a given that gets temporarly disrupted in a limited space.

I don't know where I'm going with this honestly, but now it feels weird to try to ignore these thoughts.

This was kicked off by wondering how powerful Shikamaru Nara from Naruto could possibly be btw

[narasnooze]

His footsteps echoed in the dark and empty hallways of the Hokage building. It was awfully late at night and lately Shikamaru found it pretty difficult to fall asleep. He has had this problem before, but not as severe as it was now. With his mind filled with constant thoughts rushing through, back and forth, he simply couldn't find a good time to rest. His body and mind wouldn't let him. Perhaps the heavy feeling of loneliness wasn't helping much, either.

It was strange... He had never been bothered about being on his own before. He enjoyed peace and quiet, a moment or two for himself. But lately it had become one of the worst feelings he knew. It... hurt. On a few occasions he had actually gotten so sad about that he'd fallen a couple of tears. It had bothered him even more. He had gotten annoyed with himself, thought he was being ridiculous and then forced himself deeper into work in embarrassment. He, the lazy loner, was not upset to be ...alone. By the damn way, he wasn't alone. He had tons of people around him most of the time. Friends, family, colleagues. It was stressful and too much to handle at times, even. So, he was not feeling lonely.

But when he stopped walking, holding all the documents in his hands and listened to the overwhelming silence... he swallowed hard. He hated this. He hated not being able to cope with this better. He hated not being able to fall asleep at a reasonable hour and sleep through the emptiness. He had done that so well before.

With a deep calming breath, Shikamaru tried to ease his unstable emotions and told himself that with a cup of tea he'd be fine. In a couple of hours, people would be back and another morning rush would surely distract him from how bad mood.

Or perhaps it would already...! When approaching the door to the Hokage's office, he had heard a noise from inside. And looking down at the door, he could see a weak, shimmering light.

What's he doing here at this hour? There is nothing to catch up on... nothing that urgent, at least.

With a light smile, Shikamaru let out another breath he hadn't notice he'd been holding before shutting his eyes and stepping inside. For some silly reason, he pretended to be reading something to seem busy when he entered the office.

"I didn't think you'd be here.. I thought you had–"

Once he had turned after shutting the door and looked up, his words froze along with his body. His smile fell instantly as soon as his eyes fell on the man sitting at the Hokage's desk.

Gengo's dark eyes met Shikamaru's own that were filled with shock and disbelief which only made Gengo smirk wider in return. He leaned back into Kakashi's chair, showing great confidence at being there. He had managed to get inside Konoha without hassle. Any on duty guards had been easily persuaded with his much refined talent.

"Neither did I. But it does seem life is full of surprises, after all. It's good to see you, Shikamaru. You look well..." he said, seemingly very pleased with himself.

It had to be a damn nightmare. This couldn't be true. Gengo was imprisoned. Locked up. Detained in one of the most secure places! And his tongue should still be severely damaged from So's jutsu. He should not be able to speak at all...!

The older man continued in his calm, cold and nonchalant manner. He was quite enjoying the stunned Nara and couldn't stop an amused low chuckle from escaping as he rested his elbow on the armchair and his chin lightly on his fingers.

"Tell me... with that smile you gave earlier when stepping in here.. should I be jealous?"

A split second after Gengo's words, a shadow shot towards Gengo over the wooden floor which the older man barely managed to dodge. The fight that followed was intense and painful but caused very little damage around them. And went surprisingly rather unnoticed. It seemed Gengo didn't want to make a scene and draw much attention to them. A few ANBU did notice, of course, and came to Shikamaru's aid and it seemed for a moment that they finally had Gengo under control.

"Let the Hokage know we have a situation... Find Soku, and bring Yamanaka Ino as well. We will be needing both of them for this guy." Shikamaru said, wiping blood from his mouth as he glared at Gengo in two of the ANBU's hold, along with his own shadow keeping him in place. The third ANBU gave a nod and was gone the very next moment.

"Is this how you treat your humble visitors, Nara-kun..."

"Shut the hell up." Shikamaru spat out, not taking his eyes off him for one second. "Cover his mouth with something. Do not let him speak to you..."

Half a minute passed and he was starting to become a bit uneasy since Kakashi still hadn't shown up. Neither had Soku or Ino. When another thirty seconds went by with no sign of anyone, Shikamaru's frown deepened. "Something's wrong. Bear, gather the rest of ANBU and tell them to search the village. Check the guard first, they might be in trouble. Take three others with you and find out what has happened t––"

Gengo raised his eyebrows in pretence surprise. "Oh..!"

At the exact same time, Shikamaru and Bear had been attacked. The other ANBU by Gengo had strucken Bear at the same time that the ANBU Shikamaru had sent away to alarm Kakashi, had struck him from behind. Each of them received a sharp senbon in their neck, covered in a paralysing poison, and both fell seconds later to the ground. A second needle went into Shikamaru's skin and he felt himself incredibly tired and woozy. With heavy eyelids and blurry vision, Shikamaru saw Gengo stand up and dust himself off before taking Bear's katana, praising its blade and sliding it across Bear's neck.

"..no..!" Shikamaru forced his voice out. It was weak but held anger and despair in it.

Gengo turned to him, walked over and crouched down.

"I'm terribly sorry, dear. I can't risk him confirming I was here, though. You understand."

With a nod to the two people posing as ANBU, Gengo stood up once again after he had gestured for one of them to take Shikamaru and the other one to clean up the mess.

"Don't forget the gentlemen at the gate.. Kill any possible witnesses of this. We are too close for them to catch on so soon. I'm not at my full strength just yet."

"Yes, sir."

"Tired, Shikamaru? Is the drug already affecting you? Do not worry. You will wake up comfortably and well rested. You have my word."

[x-authorship-x]

👻 🎁 pls

Hey darling!

👻 - what is your wildest headcanon?

I struggled to pick one that not gonna be spoilers for ongoing fics lmao (yes I'm looking at you, HOPE AU) so.... Ah! I don't know if it's wild but I haven't really seen it anywhere but.... Shikamaru should've been his teams medic and, more than that, he should've been insanely important at the hospital. Why?

Intelligence: Shikamaru could've easily absorbed the information needed to study medicine, he has a tactical mind to make important medical decisions on the fly and mid-surgery, it's suggested in a lot of fics that he sleeps and fixates on shogi because he can't stop thinking otherwise so I think the demand of the hospital would actually be good for him.

Personality: Shikamaru might be lazy but he's also amazing at fixating on a problem to solve it. He's even tempered, if grouchy when disturbed, and he's not as emotionally stunted as his comments might lead people to believe. He doesn't seem to enjoy the physical training of being a Shinobi or the missions, so keeping him with patients or in the hospital wouldn't be a blow to him like it would be to other frontline medics.

Skills: Shikamaru has to have brilliant chakra control to use his Kagemane and he's very aware of his own limitations and can plan ahead, so he's not blinded by ego (when he's younger, he doesn't try or arguably stops too early). The Nara seem to have a history with medicine and forestry, so herbalism as well, which will be very useful for medical studies. With his Kagemane, Shikamaru could theoretically manipulate wounds and illnesses without needing to cut into the patient's body, using their own internal shadows to find and heal the wound. Lastly, Shikamaru is the one who holds back from the action in his team; Chouji is the muscle and Ino does the talking and grabbing, whilst Shikamaru just keeps everyone in place and does the strategizing; whilst Ino and Chouji are in the line of fire, Shikamaru can hold back and heal them as needed.

There's probably more I haven't tapped into but I have a lot of thoughts on character potential ^~^

🎁 - have a piece of WIP you want to share?

I should probably post this WIP lol it's sat there with three chapters 😅

His dreams had always been so red, bristling with so much anger and pain that his young brain could barely register it. It was cloying, wrapping around his throat, and Shisui would wake panting in the dark. Sometimes his mother would be there, a troubled crease to her brows, and urged him to drink a glass of water before returning to sleep. Sometimes it was his grandmother, who had come to live with them to help run the household, and she plucked her koto with gnarled fingers whilst humming a lullaby.

Sometimes it was Father. A shadowy silhouette in the doorway, watching on as Shisui gasped through night terrors with eyes that gleamed red in the dark. He never came in and never spoke but those eyes kept twisting.

It was a red that Shisui recognised more than anything.

("What are you dreaming of…?" Grandmother mused once, trailing a finger across his tear-wet cheek.

The before, Shisui's memories supplied. His infant mind, however, didn't understand the complexity and rejected such agony.)

Thanks for playing, Empress ✨

[kumamoto-division]

“Yo. Good afternoon, kiddo.”

Casually greeted by the familiar old man with a smugly smile on his face, a certain famed actor who doubles as the infamous information broker of Kumamoto squints his eyes.

“Didn’t expect to see you here of all people, Chishio-san.”

Honestly, if there has to be a representative from Nara division, Kunio is kind of expecting the redhead leader or that pink-haired boyo to pay a visit rather than this man in front of him.

It’s true that he has known this person before since they’ve crossed paths with each other sometimes during their ‘work’ underground. Yet still, this old man looks so out of place to him because as far as he has run some research; completely no data has been found on his background except that he has been allies to Shigure Fuyugami —the previous heir of Fuyugami family and father of the Nara Division’s third member, Saigo Fuyugami, for three decades ago. 

“The Nara kids have been busy with their own projects but they still asked me to relay their ‘Happy Birthday’ to you, so it’ll be rude of me if I ignore their good will.”

Not minding the over-analyzing gaze from the young man. Chishio carefully hands Kunio the presents he received from Miratabi members. It’s a beautiful tea set that appears to mysteriously glow despite touching the least bit of daylight. 

“Ah, but the gift isn’t all the reason I came here today,” the tone in his voice suddenly changed into the more tensed one. 

“In regard to our previous corporation, the Minazuki has requested me to relay this thing to you.”

Hearing the name ‘Minazuki’ rings a bell in his mind, Kunio then recalls that this name belongs to the strange yet influential artist family in Kyoto; however, very few know that they also run some information network in the shadows. From what he has inspected, the family seems to establish themselves on the neutral side and keep a close eye on the situation as of now. 

“It contains data we extracted from some morons attempting to infiltrate Nara not so long ago. What I have in mind is that there might be someone who is after stealing Hypnosis Microphones from the DRB competitors. We’ve yet to verify who is the mastermind so please take this intel with a grain of salt —Oh, and don’t you try opening the box by force. This security craft is made by the family head himself, what’s contained inside will be crushed by its own mechanism if not handled correctly.” 

The elder man shows the actor the trick to properly open the Karakuri himitsu-bako he gave. 

“Unfortunately, I still have some errands left to run for my master, so I’d like to take my leave for now. Best wishes, and what you’re going to do with that ‘gift’ from Minazuki is up to you.”

Having bid his farewell, Chishio give the young man a formal bow and walks away until he disappears from Kunio’s land of sight.

Kunio smiled to the himitsu-bako but after he saw the tea set,mading a mental note of thanks the nara division when he had the oportunity

Again with the himitsu-bako he smirk thinking on the contain

If inside was useful information could be useful for Kunio,or maybe could help him,his teammates and Ryukyu and Kururi with their plan

Besides,he always loved puzzles

"waah,I need to thank to the guys of Naha and Chishio San,mmh this will be fun"-said Kunio to himself and started his way to his house-"and if these data are useful Ryukyu was will be very happy...and Kururi too"-Kunio shakes when he thought on Aoba's younger sister,she could look joy and creative at first glance but she was a hidden manipulative mastermind

But Kunio only deny with the head and still walking

[setagaya-division]

The sun was so close to leaving the big blue sky over the city of Setagaya when a certain red-haired boy from Nara residence has arrived at the birthday owner’s place —The famous Yorii or ‘Sireen’ who has just entered the industry by the incredible young age and instantly made it big due to his rumored supreme angelic voice only within a couple of years.

Though he used to collaborate with this very celebrity before due to the shuffle collaboration some times ago, he couldn’t imagine himself rising to stardom this quick. It seems like there was some big gap between him and all those talents who already had one (or both) of their feet in the industry after all…

But, weirdly enough, despite Yorii’s poppularity with many —Why does the new friend and fellow music lover of his seem to despise him to some extent? This isn’t the first time she is acting like this though. There were Narizuka-san and that DJ ‘Wolf of Shadows’ as well, but honestly why? They were good musicians and weren’t horrible people, he believed?

Yuuya shaked his head a little as he was trying to get rid of his petty thoughts.

—Nah, nah, he shouldn’t think about it. It was kind of rude to think of such things as today was one of those people’s birthday. Let’s just have that new friend of his calm down a little during his leave. He was here today to bring the singer some birthday gifts from his division.

However, it seems like the birthday’s owner and his siblings weren’t at home at the moment, maybe they were going to celebrate somewhere. So, what he could do was only to drop the gifts there.

One was from him, the phone charger, and the other was a box full of fancy chocolates from Asahi. And even if he knew that his wagashi maker buddy felt like the singer was having some attitude against him, he still tried to make himself a better impression somehow, Yuuya admitted he gotta praise his friend for this.

—Back to the car somewhere outside the complex

Returning back to Chishio-san who drove him here in the first place, the red-haired boy suddenly paused when he noticed something unusual…

Aside from the familiar attendant of Saigo-san in the driver seat, smiling sweetly next to what should be his own spot was an unknown someone with a shady look and even more suspicious sunglasses. And even with those numerous friends he has swore to know across Japan, he was certain that he has never know this dude(?) before.

Thus, as the response, he could only blink.

“Geez, Chishio-san.”

The old chaperone he called wasn’t helping anything but returned him a mischievous smirk.

“Wouldn’t it be more polite if you considered giving me some head-up that I’m going to get kidnapped today?”

…Now he didn’t know whether it was good or bad choice he made to leave his phone and ANGE at home

"Ohh, now these look interesting." Yorii said, as he looked at the chocolates left for him. Upon returning home with his siblings from a small dinner party, the idol looked as there were some gifts for him outside. The phone charger was good enough, but the chocolates were what really made this gift shine. Biting into one, the idol's eyes sparkled. Looking at his siblings, he held up the plate.

"You guys want some?" he asked, offering.

"No thanks, Yorii." Elliot answered, shaking his head. "I try not to eat too many sweets in one day."

"Mina?"

"You know I can't eat anything that's not a liquid, Yorii." Mina answered, scowling at him.

"More for me then!" He exclaimed, tossing a chocolate in the air and catching it in his mouth. His siblings sighed as they watched their younger brother's antics, figuring this wasn't out of character for the young boy. Besides, it was his birthday, after all.

[kvb227blog-rcchen]

Experimentation #7

OCs series - Digital Art Projected

Research:

Makoto Taniguchi

Taniguch's practice is mirrored paintings.

On an acrylic panel, there is a messy and unclear painting of a figure from the perspective of the one viewing it.

However, within the mirror placed on the opposite side, it is revealed through the mirror that it is a depiction of a cartoon portraiture in a kawaii fashion .

The facial expressions are soft and delicate with the portraiture barely taking up any space on the acrylic panel.

It gives the sense of mimicry or a shadow, hidden meanings and messages.

On the surface bright and happy but the shadow and lack of light juxtaposing this. 

Untitled, 2013

Yoshitomo Nara

Multidisciplinary artist who's contemporary and signature art style displays emotional complexities of children

Explored introspective freedom of the imagination.

Light My Fire, 2001 

An acrylic, fabric, and wood sculpture by Yoshitomo Nara, depicts a little girl standing with her arm outstretched as a ball of fire is placed on her hand.

Uses minimal and soft colours with a child-like style

Nara aims to tell a narrative in his works without words (Nara, n.d.) while subverting the Japanese ideologies around the concept ‘kawaii’.

His works are not unconventionally outrageous or unique with materials and compositions as well as doesn’t necessarily provoke the audience to think on heavy world problems.

Instead, Nara aims to create works that invoke thoughtfulness, reflection, beauty and the present (Pace, n.d.).

Brainstorming:

Seeing these works that embrace concepts and idea through cute and delicate portraiture. It brought me back to when I constantly drew my own original characters (mostly women) since as a child using traditional practices until I decided to use digital process to create them.

I wanted to return to this medium as if I am returning myself to a simpler and better times.

The process that I will take will be improving on the spot, drawing characteristics of the character when they come to mind and see how far I can take my imagination within a digital setting.

I also want to project these works on the wall from a distance. they will be sized to match a normal human size so that the audience will be able to see themselves within the characters. However, with the noticeable distance between the projector and projected, it will force the viewers to walk in front and shadow the work.

This was to specifically make the audience consciously worry about the presentation of the work while sub-consciously mimicking the idea of how a child would not know that this is wrong due to having no spatial awareness.

Creating:

OCs series, 2024 ​

Digital art projected​

Silence from OCs series, 2024 ​

First of the three, I immediately thought of a person who lied and began to depict a woman with her finger up to her lifts to gesture the word 'silence'.

I somehow thought of religious contexts where those who lie are demons and devil that are convincing and manipulating people to follow their own personal wants and needs. As a result, I drew horns and made her skin red.

The blonde hair came to min as a way to both compliment yet constrast with her skin.

I then added the final touch with the rendering and the shadow covering half her face to solidify her mischievous nature to the audience.

Shine from OCs series, 2024 ​

Following Silence, Shine was to continue with the shadow effect. However to drift from the previous rendition within this series, I aimed for this character's skin to be green to hint at their overall good nature.

Another difference can be seen with how I purposefully made the character look up and away from the audience rather than looking at them dead centre.

I then chose to use elongated ears to represent the sense of old and unrealistic expectations, intriguing the audience in wanting to know non-human creature.

Solitude from OCs series, 2024 ​

The last work from this series.

I immediately started off on a different canvas size for this piece. I chose to divert from the different coloured skin and embrace more humane skin colours.

I then had the idea of creating and personifying the night sky and the moon as a person.

This was why I used a soft yet stern face, reusing the elongated elf ears and striking beauty to present to the audience a creature that is undoubtedly is not from this world.

I also linked this work to the others through casting a shadow around her, erasing the areas around her figure to give off the effect that she is glowing similar to the moon.

Time Lapse:

Reflecting:

These works were able to bring back the joy I use to have when creating digital works.

Instead of feeling as if I am making works that have to lead towards university, this process was enjoyable and made my forget that it was towards an assessment.

However, due to how late I made these within the semester, I was unable to project and present them during class time. This was why I provided and made a mock image to display how I would have aimed it to look.

Doing this process also intrigued me in possibly making these works time-based for a multi-media rendition for future works.

I will be returning to this medium for the next semester and explore how fair I can take this medium and style within a contemporary manner.

[silavut-the-wizard]

Silavut the Wizard, Chapter 72

Something strange is happening.

Lurking Shadows

Back in Genat Town, with the wraith disposed of, the party was back in full swing and seemed never-ending once again. Yet another presence lurked, biding its time, waiting for the right moment to reveal itself. There would soon be silence, and the party would be over.

There would be no saving the town or its people from what was to come. The wizard and his companions were now too far away to stop it. No one would know what happened until it was too late.

Shadows grew longer over time. Not like when the wraith had ruled. No. The shadows were subtle and preternatural. Something more sinister was at work.

Back in the passage, before surfacing to find what lay in wait, Silavut had a shiver as he felt a foreboding but couldn’t place it. Sehlan noticed and asked what was wrong. He shrugged and it was probably just nerves. Nara, Lothiren, and Hoish had their doubts but Silavut waved them off, again attributing it to nerves about what lay ahead.

The thing in Genat Town laughed low and wickedly to itself. It had felt the presence of the wizard. They would be dealing with other issues too much to worry about returning to Genat Town any time soon.

Just a bit longer and it would have its day. With no wraith and no wizard to stop it, Genat Town would soon be a ghost town, as would all others as it spread its havoc and desolation.

So it wasn’t really the wraith they had to worry about, they were just a small part of it; it was something else entirely. Though the wraith did use the town for their purposes, they were also keeping the presence at bay in their own way, at least for a time. Now that they were gone, there was no stopping the thing that would soon destroy everything in its path.

The scribes in Trefal’s library were scrambling to record all of this when they realized once Genat Town had fallen, they would soon be next, once it had its fill of the other towns in between. Could it be stopped, though? That was the question. If not, not only would the world be in shambles, Silavut and his companions would fail in their quest. Yet if that were the case, would not the sorceress also fail? Too many variables to calculate.

The future was now split. Which one would prevail?

(How, you may be wondering, did the scribes of Trefal know all of this? Remember, everything that happens is recorded, no matter how big or small. It was felt everywhere all at once. When it expanded, not only did it reach out to Silavut, but the whole world. Thus they knew it. Satisfied? No? Too bad. If so, good. Now on with it!)

“Are you sure you’re OK?” Sehlan asked, looking worried.

Silavut had nearly doubled over and was barely able to straighten up. “I… I think so… What was that?”

Whatever he felt, it was stronger and worse than originally thought. Once the initial feeling wore off, the shock suddenly hit, making him double over and stagger. Hoish had padded over and kept him from falling completely.

“Whatever it was, we’ll have to figure it out later. Right now, we need to get up there.” Nara pointed towards the surface.

“I felt it too, wizard. Not as strongly as you, but it certainly felt bad,” Lothiren said, comparing his smaller size to Hoish, who was two and a half times as big as the dragon in current form. The reason for the smaller size was due to the wings and tail. Silavut didn’t immediately account for those in the shrinking spell. Which was also why Lothiren was able to ride on Nara’s shoulder for a time.

Now the dragon was eager to be restored to original size. Hopefully there wasn’t anything up there to prevent Silavut from performing the restoration spell. Though none of them was sure what was up there, especially after Hoish’s warning and Silavut’s suggestion to be prepared.

It took Silavut a few more moments to finish recovering and fully straightened up. “Thanks, Hoish.”

“You’re welcome. Now, let us see what we may be dealing with. Get ready.” Hoish took point, ready to attack once they breached the surface.

Slowly and carefully they slinked up to the surface. Hoish’s face slowly emerged first, his keen eyes and ears on alert. Looking around, he didn’t notice anything. “Looks clear,” he said and started climbing out. Though once outside, things felt strange.

Silavut was next, followed by Anielle, Nara, Lothiren, and finally Sehlan. They all shuddered at the strange feeling.

“By the Powers, what is that?” Nara asked, trying to shake the feeling.

“I don’t know, but I really don’t like it. It’s not her doing, I know that. It’s not got her signature,” replied Silavut, looking around uneasily.

“Wizard, if you would, please,” Lothiren asked gently.

“Oh, yes, right, of course.” Silavut pulled out the spell book and turned to the enlargement spell. Luckily there was nothing else required to prepare, so he started the incantation. However, something didn’t feel right and stopped.

Lothiren looked at him curiously. “Why did you stop?”

“This doesn’t feel right.” Silavut looked around again. “Anyone else notice how it seems… less vibrant? Like something is taking the colors out of everything?”

“Yeah,” Anielle noted. “Now that you mention it, it does seem a little duller than it should be.” She shuddered again, making a “brr” noise. She wasn’t cold, but it was like trying to shake off a chill.

“Lothiren, I’m sorry, I think we’ll have to wait. I know how eager you are to be restored. It just doesn’t feel right doing it here.”

“I understand. We will find a more suitable location, without this… shadow… upon us. Let us hope there is someplace nearby.”

“Yeah… All right, everyone. No danger here, and no sign of the beasts or the Hangrolblest. We’ve evaded them for now. Just be on your guard.” Silavut stashed his bow and the others followed suit, putting away their weapons, except Nara.

“I think I’ll hold onto this for a while.” She raised her sword. “Right now, I just feel safer with it at the ready.”

Sehlan nodded. “Good idea.” She swapped her axe and strapped her sword for quick draw just in case.

As they made their way through the quiet village, they kept on alert, constantly watching and listening for any signs of trouble. There didn’t seem to be anyone around. Hoish had taken point so the large cat could alert them of anything ahead. Lothiren had opted for walking this time, so as not to distract anyone, taking position beside Hoish.

“Where is everyone?” Anielle whispered.

“I’m not sure,” Silavut whispered back. “It’s too quiet.”

Nara gasped.

“What’s wrong?”

“I thought… There was… That window over there.” She pointed to a small house. “I thought I saw someone behind the curtain, watching us.”

“Should we…?” Sehlan started to ask.

Silavut shook his head. “No. Too risky.”

Sehlan nodded and they continued. The odd feeling continued gnawing at their senses. Silavut knew something wasn’t right but couldn’t quite pin it down. Then he suddenly realized something.

“Wait.” He stopped and stood straight. “The weather… It’s supposed to be getting colder, but it’s warm here.”

Anielle gasped. “You’re right! I wasn’t shivering like I thought I would after that impromptu bath. In fact, I’m almost completely dry. Still want a proper bath, though.”

Sehlan looked around warily, still on guard. “So what do we do?”

“First, we find a safe place. Hopefully away from… whatever this thing is. Next, I restore Lothiren. If we can, find a place to clean up. Hopefully the beasts and Hangrolblest will be far behind us by then. Once we’ve done all that, we figure out our next plan of action. Come on, let’s get moving.”

“Right. Off we go, then.” Back in Genat Town, the thing smirked to itself. Its power was slowly starting to take hold. Once it has gained full power, nothing short of a miracle would be able to stop it. This was the moment it was waiting for.

[kyubi-guide]

竹内順子さんスペシャルインタビュー

Special Interview with Junko Takeuchi

アニメ放送開始から20周年を迎えた『NARUTO -ナルト-』。ここまで長く愛されている作品の魅力はどんなところにあるとお考えですか。

Naruto" is celebrating its 20th anniversary since the start of anime broadcasting. What do you think is the appeal of a work that has been loved for so long?

私が『NARUTO -ナルト-』の魅力だと感じていることは「キャラクターが嘘をついていない」ところなのかなと思いました。ストーリーももちろん魅力的なのですが、作品の中で息をしているキャラクターたちが綺麗ごとしか言わないとか、良い所しか見せないとかではなく、みっともない所や、結構汚いことをしたりという部分もひっくるめて、嘘をつかずに描かれているからこそ、同じ人間として近しいものを感じて愛されるのではないでしょうか。私はそこが好きだなと思いました。

What I feel is the charm of "Naruto" is that "the characters do not lie. Of course the story is fascinating, but the characters that live and breathe in the work do not only say beautiful things or show only good things, but they also do disgusting things and dirty things without lying. I think that's what people love about him. I think that's what I like about him.

ナルトにとってのサスケは、どのような存在だと感じていますか。

What do you feel Sasuke is to Naruto?

ナルトが自身でも言っていますが、サスケがどんな存在かと言ったら「友達」なんだと思います。ただ、「友達」＝（イコール）「ナルトのサスケに対する思い」だというのなら、その「友達」という言葉から想像する意味合いが、彼にとってとても深い意味を持つものなんだと感じました。すごくシリアスなカッコいい戦いのシーンで、「お前は一体…何なんだ…？」と聞かれて「友達だ」と返して成り立つ事はあまりないと思います。だからこそ、それが本当の気持ちなんだろうなと感じました。それと、ナルトはサスケを「もう一人の自分」とも感じているんだと思います。切っても切れない実体と影のような存在なんだろうなと思っています。

As Naruto himself says, Sasuke is a "friend" to him. But if "friend" means (equal to) "Naruto's feelings for Sasuke," then I felt that the connotation of the word "friend" has a very deep meaning for him. In a very serious and cool fight scene, when asked "What the hell are you...?" I don't think there are many times when someone asks, "What are you...? That's why I felt that was his true feeling. I also think that Naruto feels that Sasuke is his "other self". I think they are like inseparable entities and shadows.

これまで演じられた数々のエピソードの中で（エピソードを絞るのは難しいことかと思いますが）、特に思い入れのあるシーン、印象に残っているシーンはどんな場面でしょうか。

Of the many episodes you have played (I know it is difficult to narrow down the episodes), what scenes are particularly memorable or memorable to you?

本当に多くの名シーンがある中で、今回はあえてナルトでは無いシーンをあげさせていただくと、猪鹿蝶（奈良シカマル、山中いの、秋道チョウジ）と猿飛アスマ先生との最期のシーンです。収録現場も猪鹿蝶とアスマ先生との4人だけになるように他の出演者を帰して、本当に密度の濃い時間であのシーンを収録したと聞きました。あの時間は本当に尊かったと聞いて、羨ましいなと思いました。実際に出来た映像を見て、すごく良いチームだなと感じられるシーンになっていたので、本当に素敵だなと思ったエピソードでした。スタッフさんも、それが手間暇がかかることだったとしてもそっちの方が良いと思い率先してやってくれたりしたので、それが人間味があふれる結果になっているのかなとも思います。

There are so many great scenes, but I would dare to mention a scene that is not part of Naruto: the final scene between Inoshikacho (Nara Shikamaru, Yamanaka Ino, and Akimichi Choji) and Sarutobi Asuma. I heard that the scene was recorded in a very dense time, with the other actors sent home so that it was just the four of them, Inoshikacho and Asuma Sensei. I was envious to hear how precious that time was. When I saw the actual footage that was created, I could feel that the scene was done by a very good team, so I thought it was a really wonderful episode. The staff also took the initiative to do things that they thought were better even if they required a lot of time and effort, and I think this is what made the result so human.

12月10日より、いよいよ約 7 年ぶりとなる展示イベント『NARUTO THE GALLERY』が開催となります。20周年を記念する大きな企画だと思いますが、どのようなところに期待されていますか。

What are your expectations for the "NARUTO THE GALLERY" exhibition, which will be held from December 10, 2012, for the first time in about seven years, as a major project to celebrate the 20th anniversary?

国内のファンのみならず、国外のファンの皆様にもぜひご来場いただき、大盛況になることを期待しています！期間限定のイベントとなりますので、この期間にたくさん楽しんでいただきたく、ぜひお時間作っていただき、秋葉原へ足を運んでください。来てくれれば楽しめる内容になっていると思いますので、気を楽にして「感動しに来ちゃった」というくらいの気持ちで遊びに来てもらえたら、絶対感動できると思います！

We hope that not only fans in Japan but also those outside of Japan will come to the exhibition and that it will be a great success! This will be a limited time event, so please make time to come and visit Akihabara so that you can enjoy this event a lot during this period. I am sure that you will enjoy yourself if you come, so please take it easy and come with the feeling that you have come just to be impressed, and I am sure that you will be impressed!

最後に、作品を愛されているファンの皆様にメッセージをお願いします。

Finally, do you have a message for the fans who love your works?

20周年ということで、このような大々的な展示会を展開出来るほど『NARUTO』という作品は皆様に愛されているなと感じています。ですが、もっと愛をいただけますか。皆様がギャラリーへといらっしゃってくださることで、愛がどんどんと溜まり、そして昇華していき、ドカンと大きな螺旋丸が出来上がりますので、皆様ぜひとも愛の螺旋丸を作るために『NARUTO THE GALLERY』へと足をお運びください。お待ちしています！

I feel that "NARUTO" is loved by everyone so much that we can hold such a big exhibition for its 20th anniversary. But can you give us more love? As you visit the gallery, more and more love will accumulate and sublimate, and a big spiral circle will be formed. We are waiting for you!

[009720kakashi]

narasnooze

Now, he certainly looked surprised and almost shocked. Did Kakashi seriously think Shikamaru was worried that the copy nin would grow deeper feelings for him? Nara only turned his head to Kakashi, eyebrows slightly raised and lips stretching more and more into a smile before he had to let his laugh out. He shook his head as if Kakashi was mad. "Am I worried? No. No, not at all." As for the instrument... "Ye-Uhh... Not really. There is one at home, I think it might be my... grand mother's? Or her grand mothers? No one has touched it in decades." A lie. Also, unimportant, so; who cares? "I'm sorry–– people my age? I'm not doing anything like that to my friends." Not interested. "And, No Big Deal for us, no... What if I pull the same thing again with someone else?" Horror. He threw a few glances Kakashi's way before the man left for the hot water outside and left Shikamaru alone in the washing room, where the shadow user took his time. Thankfully, no one else was in there with him at the time and he exhaled heavily. Oh, he had some bruises himself, alright. Well, then... He didn't have to feel too bad about what he'd done to Kakashi's poor skin. His neck, chest, hip... Shikamaru hissed slightly and twisted his torso to look at himself in the mirror. So he had bitten him, too, just as Kakashi had thought. Good. Or, well.. not... 'good'-good. What he meant was that they were even now. "Nara Shikamaru, you idiot..." he told himself, leaning forward to rest his forehead to the mirror with another sigh. He finished up, wrapped a towel around himself and forced himself out to the hot spring. Moving fast in such a place isn't very wise, you could easily slip on the wet floor and whatever rocks surrounding the water, but he tried to hurry anyway so that he could sink low into the water. At least Kakashi seemed to be at peace.

“I’m glad I’m entertaining” he said with a lopsided smirk, when Shikamaru’s smile grew broader. Just now he had no clue what was so amusing. At times Kakashi had a feeling that they talked past each other. Right now was such a moment. He did not inquire further though. In his experience this did not lead anywhere.

“Maybe go for an instrument you actually do play for your future serenading then. It does improve your chances I suppose. I’m sure Lee would enjoy serenading a lot…or Ino…” He was not quite certain he believed that Shikamaru did not play it though. ‘Not really’ was not exactly a ‘no’ but then maybe he had just misspoken. 

“Maa you go out with other people than me? Now my world is shattered.” It really had been a pretty stupid comment from his side. Of course Shikamaru mostly went out with his friends. So his worry naturally lay more on that side.

Yeah well…there were a few bruises on Shikamaru as well. In the washing room he did get a glimpse or two. Also he would have been fairly surprised if there weren’t. 

“Told you ne?” he said without turning around before he was out the door.

The Onsen was not very crowded so it really was quite relaxing. Kakashi closed his eyes and sunk deep into the water not caring too much what Shikamaru did though he really though that his assistant had to learn to relax every now and then. When he was younger Shikamaru had been better at it but then who really knew. Maybe it had just been for show. 

narasnooze

With Kakashi suddenly stopping and turning around completely, Shikamaru stopped too in slight surprise as Kakashi began to clarify himself, or... making the situation here clear. "ah, no, I don't... I know you don't–" he began, but cut himself off to let Kakashi finish. He was starting to see the ANBU in a whole different angle than before, that much was certain. The older man also seemed quite determined to make Shikamaru understand one thing, without actually using those much fewer words... I don't want anything beyond what happened. Shikamaru let a few seconds pass after Kakashi had finished speaking, and then he tilted his head slightly to the side. "I'm sorry. We're good, ok? You don't have to get worried about... anything. Alright?" He tried to look as honest as he could, then decided that maybe a bit of bad humour again could ease Hatake's mind a little. "I'm not going to bring a koto and sit outside your place to serenade you in the night. I promise. This was a one-time thing. And I'm never drinking again." Shikamaru waved it off and this time, he walked past Kakashi toward the damn Onsen. It would probably be very few people there anyway. Besides... he could do with a wash, since Kakashi was absolutely right. Kiba would not believe a word of any made up tale of why he smelled the way he did. Neither would Ino or Chōji if they came by. Because they had no personal space and always moved in too close and even they would sense something. Sighing in relief once they finally reached the onsen, Shikamaru entered before anyone they knew could spot them.

“Sure you do…you take care of my calendar after all.” Kakashi barely ever put anything in there himself. He basically was at Shikamaru’s mercy considering his plans for the day…and at times evening. There were days he was so exhausted he basically just went home and fell on his bed. Even training got the short end far too often really. If he got time in the evening he used it for training though. 

“Why would I be worried? I’m not worried…are you worried?” Sometimes he thought people had a point when they said that he was awful at communicating. 

“Serenading?” he asked, lifting one eyebrow, the corners of his lips lifted a little though.

“Spare your serenading energy for all the wonderful guys and girls your age Shikanaru. You play Koto?”

For once there was time for romance for the younger generation. It was strange to him. Nothing that ever had a priority in his life for obvious reasons. 

“I don’t think you need to go as far as denying yourself Sake for the rest of your life Shikamaru. I thought we had established that it was not a big deal?”

He followed Shikamaru into the Onsen and really was looking forward to it. His second favorite hobby after reading. 

After paying he went through the blue curtain marking the men’s changing room. He went to the bathing area to clean himself and then went into the Onsen unmasked with the small hand towel on his head. When he entered the warm water he sighed contently. This really felt wonderful.

[narasnooze]

@uchihacollector cont. x

That did indeed look like Orochimaru’s invitation. That was good. Orochimaru had expected him. "I chose to travel through the darkest parts of the woods. Why do you think that is?” He was somewhat at a disadvantage at this terrain, which served to make the young man more confident. “It’s well within your capabilities to guess my identity early, lure me out, and make this meeting into a trap. The reverse is also possible. But you and I are above grotesque displays of bizarre stupidity... yes?” So he beckoned him. “Approach, Shikamaru-kun. Let me check those ‘invitations’ and your intent.”

"Well, for one... it is quite obvious you wanted me away from any source of light." The Nara lifted his other hand up slightly, just to look at it– or rather; the faint shade of shadow that the very limited daylight reaching down through the thick crowns of leaves cast on his skin. Any shadow jutsu used here would be extremely weak.

"I'm not alarmed by it, though. You don't want me dead."

He let his free hand fall back down along his figure and raised his eyes once again to the other man. Instead of giving the thin stack of notes to Orochimaru, he pocketed them again. Part of him did not want them destroyed, or taken back. Not even now, after having found out who was behind them.

"My intent... I just wonder why me. See, I don't understand now.. Why stay in contact with me of all people, for this long? I got nothing– am nothing special. I have always thought that was your kind of thing. Special cases, rare abilities, or... I dunno. What do you believe you can have gained by our contact?" He was genuinely curious, not once sounding rude as many often said he did when asking questions, questioning others.

"You said I helped save people by solving those puzzles. What did you mean? What people?"