Shikamaru Shinden Chapter 5

Hi everyone, thank you so much for your patience! I have a few things I’d like to say before we get started!

1. Thank you so much to Cacatuasulphureacitrinocristata where ever you are nowadays, you always inspired me!

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CHAPTER 5

Shikamaru returned straight to work when he came back to Konoha. Leisure time was something he didn’t have.

Despite him not being there, the village still moved on, his work didn’t take a vacation along with him. While he was in the Hidden Stone, a mountain of paperwork had piled up on his desk. It swayed and threatened to topple. He thought about it crushing him, and it chilled his spine.

“Don’t approve this form.”

There are many papers that passed under his nose that required his approval, as he was the Hokage assistant. Only half of the papers went on to Naruto after they passed Shikamaru.

It’s not something he could complain about, without his labors, the village would come to a standstill. And without him, Naruto would have been overburdened.

In the villages current condition, everything would stagnate at the drop of the hat if something went wrong. They instead decided to distribute the work among several talented people.

It had only taken a few seconds to fill out the pieces of paper from front to back, which was something about minerals that the whole department had worked on. Bit by bit and piece by piece he worked through the stack. One piece was badly written and got his rejection after he had stared at it for a few seconds. If he was asked later as to why he had refused the paper, he’d point out the conflicts in the paper and how to correct them. The content of all the papers and what they were swimming around in his head, something Shikamaru was very used to.

Because he was in charge of these documents day in and day out, Shikamaru had become a natural speed reader.

His life as a ninja was the root of this. If you practiced something every day and were never satisfied by your skill, you’d naturally get better at it. He hadn’t been on the battlefield for around 10 years, so he’d chosen to flex his skills here.

Perhaps Shikadai’s skills were better than his by now? He dismissed that thought, Dad was still on top there, no that he was completely sure about that either.

“This is from the water department.”

“Put it there.”

Shikamaru didn’t look up, he just answered. Every day, more than 200 people went in and out of Shikamaru’s office. Conversations took too long to address all of them, he usually spoke in clean and quick responses. While half of his brain was on his papers, the other half was thinking about the Hidden Stone.

Because of Kurotsuchi’s interruption, he hadn’t been able to converse with Oonoki to the extent he would have liked.

But the trip still had its positives.

The ANBU had successfully infiltrated in secret. There was no report just yet, but he knew they had made it.

There was no doubt in his heart that Kurotsuchi was hiding something, and he trusted his heart to make that conviction.

“Mr. Shikamaru?”

A woman’s voice had appeared from the other side of the paperwork.

“What is it?” he asked, stamping a statement about the culmination of garbage from the sanitary department.

“Can I talk to you for a moment?” the voice asked.

Shikamaru tossed the paper from the sanitary department into the outbox, which was also a teetering pile and looked up. There was a young lady before him, her brown hair in two bunches.

“Kazsmatsuri Moegi?” he asked.

The leader of Shikadai’s squad.

“Did something happen to my son?”

He stood for the first time in hours, and she indicated for them to talk in the hallway.

“So, what happened?” he said once they were alone.

He made sure never to mention his sons name in particular, Chocho Akimichi and Inojin Yamanaka were also part of her team.

“It’s about Shikadai,” she said.

Shikamaru took a deep breath and faced her head on.

“If it’s about your teaching, I think you’ve been an excellent influence on Shikadai. Please continue your hard work.”

“No, not that. I’m here to ask you a question, can I tell you something?” she asked.

“Oh, is it something his Dad has to hear?” he replied.

She shined with pride and started to talk.

“Ever since the Chuunin Exam, Shikadai’s been training harder and taking higher-ranked missions. He’s getting his face out there and people are noticing him.”

The main round of the Chuunin Exam didn’t exist purely to pass the exam. All of the countries, not just Konoha, had entered their genin. From the display, the Daimyo or high ranked members of the Land of Fire might choose shinobi to participate in missions for them. People both ninja and civilian would do this. It was a place to show off your abilities and the quickest way to gain renown.

Shikadai had defeated a Suna girl, Yodo, skillfully with his Shadow Bind. His hard work had paid off and he was being recognized for it. It was a blessing for him.

“A client wanted him for an S rank,” Moegi said.

“That’s sudden!” Shikamaru exclaimed.

Shinobi Missions were ranked S, A, B, C and D. S being the hardest missions, usually reserved for Chuunin or higher. Shikadai wasn’t a Chuunin just yet so he wouldn’t qualify for one. If there was to be an exception, the client must have been a big deal.

“Would he be allowed?” Moegi asked. “It was an S ranked mission, to protect a Daimyo. It’s not an easy job.”

“An S ranked mission to protect a Daimyo. It could be a smooth trip, or they could be ambushed. He wouldn’t be discouraged.” Shikamaru mulled.

“Well, there’s nothing to worry about.” Moegi sighed.

She wasn’t the kind of ninja to make careless remarks. Shikamaru rubbed his beard in thought.

“What happened then?” he asked.

“Shikadai declined the mission,” she said.

“He what?”

“No matter what I said, he’d only say ‘It’s too troublesome!’! Not even Chocho or Inojin could convince him, he just refused to listen.” she explained.

Shikadai was the type to say whatever he was thinking, something he’d been scolded about from a young age. It was something he’d definitely got from Temari. He’d just say whatever he was wanted without regard for other people.

“Why’s that?” he asked.

“I thought maybe you’d know, Mr. Shikamaru…”

It looked like she was asking if something had happened in his family, but not out loud.

Shikamaru was currently in a cold war with his wife. With his wedding anniversary forgotten, they’d been ignoring each other, keeping conversations short. Thinking of it, wait for a second…

Did Shikadai ditch such an important mission over that!?

No, he was wrong. It was common for couples to argue. Shikadai wouldn’t be affected by that, right?

“He just wouldn’t listen.” Moegi sighed.

“What ended up happening with that mission?” Shikamaru asked.

“It looks like another team took it. The client was stubborn but eventually agreed to it.”

Shikamaru was aghast. Why wasn’t Shikadai accepting such an opportunity?

“Mr. Shikamaru, why don’t you talk to Shikadai about it?” Moegi asked. “Anyway, I’m sorry for bothering you.”

“No, it’s okay,” he said, shaking his head.

Moegi left, so Shikamaru went to the rooftop for a cigarette, lying on the cold cement.

“Sheesh, what happened.” he sighed.

With the events in the Hidden Stone, his screw up with his wife. Now his son was troubled too… The cloudy sky was circling around. His were too busy to see them.

“That’s right..” Shikamaru murmured, puffing up a big purple cloud.

-0000000000000-



It was midnight by the time Shikamaru had finished at the office and made it home, Temari and Shikadai were already in bed asleep. He snuck down the hallway to his son’s room and slid open his door.

“Pssst, hey Shikadai,” he whispered to the form bundled on the fuuton.

“Ngh… What is it?” Shikadai asked sleepily, his back to his dad.

“You turned down an S rank mission?”

There was no response.

“Why did you do that?”

Nothing.

“Do you not want to say?”

Nothing.

“Are you listening to me?”

“Listening….” Shikadai’s voice had no power behind it.

Because he was asleep. Or maybe he was mad at his dad, for having no time for his family. His son’s feelings were getting harder to understand by the day. It made Shikamaru tremble.

“Why didn’t you accept your mission?”

“Too troublesome.”

“What?!” Shikamaru said angrily.

“It’s too troublesome so I refused it!” Shikadai growled.

“That’s your excuse?”

“That’s enough for tonight!” Temari suddenly said from behind Shikamaru.

She had a calm face.

“Shikadai has a lot of things to do tomorrow. He has a mission in the morning, so just let him sleep for now,” she said.

Shikamaru sighed, clearing his mind.

“Good night..” he called to Shikadai.

There was no response.