Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / Gundam Wing Fan Fiction / Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Fighting Spirit ❯ Diamond in the Rough ( Chapter 1 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Umikage 
Shikamaru's fight with Tayuya is over, with unexpected consequences.
Anime/Manga: Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / Gundam Wing Fan Fiction / Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Supernatural / Martial Arts / Action | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 10.01.2004 | Pages: 5 | Words: 5.7K | Visits: 510 | Status: Completed
Shikamaru's fight with Tayuya is over, with unexpected consequences.
Anime/Manga: Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / Gundam Wing Fan Fiction / Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Supernatural / Martial Arts / Action | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 10.01.2004 | Pages: 5 | Words: 5.7K | Visits: 510 | Status: Completed
Disclaimer: Naruto doesn't belong to me. Yu Yu Hakusho doesn't belong to me. None of the other series included (and there WILL be more) belong to me, either. I'd tell you who they all DO belong to, but that requires work on my part to look them up. I disclaimed credit at any rate, so my job is done anyways. On a side note, this will be the only chapter to include a disclaimer.
Timeline: This takes place during Chapter 209 of the manga of Naruto. Tayuya and Shikamaru have been fighting, and things diverge from there. Everything afterwards is considered AU. Definitely, it can't fit in the manga after this... As for the other series, for all intents and purposes none of them ever happened. The characters exist, well some of them, but none of the scenarios of the shows.
***
Fighting Spirit
Chapter 01
The Diamond in the Rough
***
Shikamaru stood to the side of the hospital room, watching his best friend Chouji recover from his battle. Most of the serious injuries had been taken care of, by the Hokage herself, but he still needed time to recover his energy. He wondered idly why he was here, Chouji would be fine without him. Besides...
The twelve year old idly blew a strand of hair from in front of his face. After his battle with Tayuya only hours ago, his hair had fallen out of its usual place, tied back on top of his head, and he was too lazy to fix it.
His teammates had all made it out without serious injury. Well, not quite. All four of his teammates, five if you counted the late arriving Rock Lee, were near death. But all of them, with the exception of Kiba, had been victorious in their battles. However, with the proper healing, all of them were fine. No permanent injuries, no death. Shikamaru had done well, in that regard. Even Sasuke was making a full recovery, after the beating Naruto had given him.
As a doctor came in to check on Chouji's progress, Shikamaru slipped out of the room unnoticed. He had already checked up on all of his other allies, all that was left was to check his family, and perhaps his friends. As he thought of that, the young Chuunin snorted. Friends? Besides Chouji, who would that include?
Probably Ino and Asuma, was Shikamaru's silent answer to his own question. He, Chouji, and Ino had all worked under Asuma as Genin Team 10 in the Hidden Leaf. They had been through a lot together. Shikamaru wondered if they had been told the news of the battle.
Making his way out of the hospital, heading into the deep shadows of the Hidden Leaf Village's streets at night, Shikamaru noticed it was raining. Accurately portrayed the mood, though. He snorted. He hated somber moods, too much hassle.
After a few minutes of walking at a leisurely pace, Shikamaru found what he wanted. Ino's home, an average-sized house with a garden in front, was a place Shikamaru rarely visited. Not that he disliked Ino, it was just too far out of his way to visit that often.
Seeing the door already open, Shikamaru entered. He didn't bother knocking; he didn't think it would matter. Noticing a set of ninja boots at the entrance, he noted they were too large for a friend of Ino's. One of the older ninjas, then. It made sense.
Hearing a quiet noise coming from the living room, Shikamaru headed in that direction. Stepping over a potted plant that partially obstructed his path, Shikamaru noted the scene as he entered the large room. Ino was hunched over on the couch, sobbing fiercely as the light of the chandelier above allowed Shikamaru to see the tears on her cheeks. His former instructor and Ino's current instructor, Asuma Sarutobi, sat next to her with an arm around her shoulders, trying his best to comfort the distraught girl.
"So, those shoes were yours." Shikamaru's statement received no response from either of the people. They hadn't even noticed him. That irritated Shikamaru somewhat, but there wasn't anything he could do about it. In any case, his search had been made much easier due to his other query, the elusive Asuma, being there. He must have been the one to break the news, Shikamaru idly noted. It made sense, to send the team captain to tell the news to his students.
Shikamaru walked up to the two of them, standing in front of them both. "Both of you have done a lot for me," he started. Thinking a moment, he really couldn't come up with any more to say. "Well, take care guys." Once again, his words met with no response.
He turned his eyes upwards, as if looking through the smooth white ceiling and hanging chandelier into the heavens. He wished he could just lay back and watch the clouds, like he usually did, but he didn't think he would do that again. "Botan, I'm ready."
As if summoned by his words, a slightly older girl, she appeared about 14 or so, appeared to Shikamaru's right. She had blue hair, somewhat long and tied in a ponytail, and was dressed in a pink kimono, carrying, of all things, a boat oar. "So, you've come to terms with your death?" she asked. She seemed to be a normal girl, and Shikamaru had been incredulous when she had introduced herself as an agent of death, the Grim Reaper.
Shikamaru nodded in response to her question.
Botan leaned closer to the shorter boy. "What about your parents? You haven't seen them, yet."
Shikamaru snorted. "If there's more crying, then it'll just be a waste of time. I have better things to do than watch my parents grieve."
Botan thought of mentioning that, no, he really didn't have anything better do to, because he had already been granted time to say his final words and visit those closest to him. But she held it back, she could see he had other reasons not to go. "Well, then, we'll visit King Yama and decide on your fate." She paused a moment. "Are you sure you're ready?"
Shikamaru nodded again. He was as ready as he'd ever be, he supposed. No use in dragging it out.
God, it sucked being dead.
***
Shikamaru seemed bored as he walked through the din and hustle of oni as they went through the hectic activity of keeping the Spirit World in smooth, working order. After hearing Botan explain that, in the Spirit World, oni were often used for manual labor and menial work, and that the hustle was an everyday activity, Shikamaru quickly grew disinterested of the sight. It might be true that he was seeing something that almost no living human saw, but then again he wasn't a living human any more, either. He knew of the existence of demons, so knowing they ran the Spirit World wasn't all that interesting once you got over the initial shock.
Now, Botan's flying oar, that had been interesting.
Botan guiding the ninja to a door, which left Shikamaru in awe of its size, though he didn't outwardly show any sign of his awe. The thing was well over twenty feet high. Just who was expected to use it?
"This is King Yama's office," Botan explained. "He's reviewed your case and will pass judgement here." As an afterthought, she said, "Be sure to be on your best behavior."
Shikamaru nodded. He didn't want to make a bad impression on the man deciding the fate of his soul.
Botan waved her hands toward the door. Shikamaru half expected the doors to open by magic, but what actually happened was two oni running up to the door and pushing it open. The boy thought it was rather... odd. And not nearly as dignified as he'd think the ruler of the Spirit World would expect.
Botan and Shikamaru entered and saw the desk where King Yama sat. Shikamaru had been prepared for a lot of things, from King Yama being a horrible demon to a noble and regal man, but seeing the ruler as a toddler was something he definitely did NOT expect.
Apparently, neither did Botan.
"Lord Koenma, what are you doing in your father's office?!" Botan yelled, shaking her hands to emphasize her point.
Shikamaru wondered why, considering he was dead, his ears hurt so much.
The toddler, pacifier in mouth, dropped down from the top of King Yama's desk, which was fairly impressive for a baby. Heck, with the size of the desk, it was fairly impressive for any person. "Botan, you should treat me with more respect. I am King Yama's son and heir, you know."
Botan bowed, signifying that she did, indeed, respect Koenma. "Of course, Lord Koenma, but I still need to know why you are here and your father is not."
She calmed down pretty quick, Shikamaru noted.
Koenma nodded in a sage-like manner. "Of course, of course. Well, my father, being who he is, needed to leave in a last minute call from deep within the Spirit Realm. I was only supposed to handle his duties as far as paperwork and leave the decision of spirits to him, as the trip will be brief." He stopped and looked at Shikamaru. "However, after reviewing his file, I decided that Shikamaru is deserving of my attention."
Shikamaru snorted. This Koenma might have been a high ranking official of some sort, but he was still a toddler, and he found it hard to give respect to a baby. "What the heck interests you about me, kid?"
Koenma's eye twitched. "Kid? Who are you calling kid? I happen to be a good deal older than you, and much better looking to boot." He cleared his throat. "But, to answer your question, there are certain things in your file which strike my interest." He held up one hand, a single finger up. "First is the way you died."
Shikamaru glanced over at Botan, who was standing to the side, silent. She must have escorted many ninjas to the afterlife, what made his case special?
As if responding to his unspoken question, Koenma continued. "Your mission was a success. At many points your decisions kept your team alive. In the end, all your team members survived and your mission was accomplished."
Shikamaru snorted. "My teammates survival depending on their own combat skills. I had nothing to do with that."
Koenma nodded at the boy's point. "True enough, but you assembled the teams, you made the tough decisions for them. And in the end, you were willing to sacrifice your life for theirs. Not many people have that dedication, loyalty, and drive needed to make such a decision."
Shikamaru was silent at that. Though he doubted he had drive, the fact that he had willingly given his life in performing that forbidden suicide jutsu, the final attack any ninja could give, was true. Tayuya had him beat, totally and completely. She fell for every single one of his plans, but she was able to power through every single trap and jutsu using pure strength and chakra. His brains had been beaten by her brawn. The jutsu had been the only way to ensure his victory and keep her from joining her comrades in fighting against his teammates.
Koenma continued. "This all speaks volumes about your character. You might have some flaws, but that just makes you the diamond in the rough, Shikamaru." Koenma reached out and pulled a folder from his robes. The folder had the ninja's name, Shikamaru Nara, written on the front in bold letters. "I've read through your file a few times, Shikamaru. You're a good kid, and a strong fighter. You have great abilities in tactical planning, your physical abilities are exceptional, and your skill is ahead of your age." Koenma smiled, barely visible behind the pacifier in his mouth. "And your spiritual powers are beyond exceptional, even if unused."
Botan gasped, her hand covering her mouth. "Lord Koenma!"
Koenma nodded. "Yes, Botan. The reason I'm here to speak to him and decide his fate is because I wish to recruit him as my new spirit detective."
Shikamaru narrowed his eyes. It sounded like a job. God, did they expect him to work after he was dead, too? "What are you talking about?"
"It's quite simple," Koenma said as he shifted his attention back to Shikamaru. "In addition to my usual duties, I'm in charge of the Investigation Department. We employ agents of our own and spirit detectives, people who live in the Human World who keep the Human Realm under control."
Shikamaru snorted. "Well, Koenma, in case you haven't noticed, I don't LIVE in the Human Realm any more."
Koenma smiled. "No, not until I bring you back to life."
That caught Shikamaru's attention. "You can bring me back to life?"
Koenma nodded. "As long as your body is in good condition, yes. And if you agree to become a spirit detective." He spoke with complete seriousness. "It's an important decision, but I hope it'll be an obvious one."
Shikamaru thought about this potential boon from all angles. He was getting his life back, true. But it left him in servitude of Koenma, to go about and fight demons or whatever it is spirit detectives did. And he would still be a ninja of the Hidden Leaf, so it was like having double the work. Was it really worth the bother? It's not like he had anybody who cared much about him, after all.
His mind flashed back to early memories of his childhood. Of him, young and carefree, though just as lazy, lying on his back and gazing at the stars. How lying there one day, he had met Chouji.
He and Chouji were friends. There was no denying that. They had absolute faith in each other.
Chouji had been out of it when in the hospital, he didn't even know Shikamaru was dead. But Shikamaru knew how much Chouji would mourn his death. One person did care for him.
Shikamaru began to smile. His parents must miss him something terrible, too. He knew his mother was always a pain in the ass, yelling at him to do more training, to clean up the house, or something else equally meaningless, but she cared for him. His father did, too, even is he did drag Shikamaru out of bed every morning for some early training. Shikamaru always thought that his dad was just as lazy as him, but apparently he took his role as a ninja seriously.
Realizing he did have a few people who cared about him, Shikamaru reached a decision. For those few he cared about, and who cared for him, he'd do this. He might be lazy, and had no motivation at all, but Koenma had been right on one thing, and that was that Shikamaru was loyal and cared about his friends.
For a second, a vision of Ino crying flashed in his mind as well.
"I'll do it," Shikamaru answered. "But I better get hazard pay for anything dangerous."
Koenma smiled. "Don't be silly, Shikamaru. You won't get paid at all."
Shikamaru frowned.
Koenma clapped his hands together. "Well, now that that's settled." He turned to Botan. "Botan, get back to work. I'll take it over from here."
Botan hesitated. "Are you sure, Lord Koenma? Who'll take him back to the Human Realm?"
Koenma waved a hand to dismiss her. "I'll have it taken care of."
The girl hesitated a few more moments, but then left.
"Now," Koenma began, "if you'll follow me to my own office, we'll discuss how to bring you back to life."
***
"So, I have to find somebody willing to kiss me?"
Koenma nodded. The two were currently in Koenma's office, which was a medium-sized room, empty save for a regular-sized desk and a few stacks of papers on it. "Well, it's the only way to get the boost of energy needed. Just a little, to restart your spirit energy moving through your body. A jump-start, if you will." He sucked on his pacifier a bit before continuing. "Though it'll have to wait a few days. I'll need a while to revive the body, and then you'll have to wait for the window of opportunity."
"What window?" Shikamaru asked, regarding the toddler.
"It's quite simple," Koenma explained. "You can only be revived within a twelve hour period. Noon to midnight, in four days."
Shikamaru nodded, taking Koenma's words at face value. "All right, I got it. But what do I do between then and now?"
Koenma looked Shikamaru in the eyes. "You must contact your friends and family, to tell them about your revival, to tell them about the energy transfer, and to tell them not to worry. I'll be sending you with an agent of death, so you don't need to worry about the how at this moment. Besides that, though..." Koenma smiled as if he was conspiring evil things. "You can always check out the girls."
Shikamaru groaned. Jeez, he was supposed to be a baby, right?
The conversation was cut off as a knock rang upon the door to Koenma's office.
Koenma cleared his throat. "In any case, here's the agent of death I was talking about." He spoke louder, addressing the person on the other side of the door. "Come in!"
Shikamaru watched as the person walked in the room, striding with confidence. The ninja had fully expected to see Botan again, but this wasn't the case. The agent of death was a man, for one thing. Well, more of a boy, really. He appeared to be 15, average height, with long brown hair braided down to his butt. Definitely not Botan.
"Hiya," the boy said. "You must be Shikamaru."
Shikamaru nodded. "Yeah, I am. That must make you my guide, but I never caught your name."
The boy smirked. "Around here they call me the God of Death, but you can just call me Duo."
Shikamaru could, honestly, see how he had gotten that nickname. Duo was dressed completely in black. Black shirt with preacher collar, black straight-legged pants, black boots, even black gloves on both hands. He looked like a goth, except without pale skin, chains, or piercings. Wait, scratch the last one, he had an earring. It was silver, a small hoop earring, and the only color in Duo's outfit.
"So, we gonna get going?" Duo asked, grinning.
Koenma stopped Duo with a raised hand. "Duo Maxwell, you have charge of Shikamaru for now. He's to be the next spirit detective, make sure this gets done right."
"You can count on me, Captain," Duo said with a mock salute. He turned and left with his charge.
Koenma rubbed his forehead. He could feel a headache coming on. "I should have kept Botan with him..."
***
For the first day back, Shikamaru had tried to keep away from his friends and family. He had plenty of time, and he honestly didn't feel like watching them cry or something like that. So he laid back, watching the clouds from the roof of a building.
He had no idea where he was, except that he was still in the Hidden Leaf Village, but he honestly didn't care where he was. If he didn't recognize this place, it probably meant that nobody he knew would show up there. That's all that mattered.
Duo had left a while ago, claiming to be bored out of his mind. He said he'd wander around town; he had to stay near Shikamaru, but wandering the same town was obviously close enough.
So Shikamaru was alone as he watched the clouds.
When most people watched the clouds, if they even had the patience to do so, would try to identify them with objects. That one's a horse, or a bird, or a shuriken. When Shikamaru watched the clouds, he appreciated them for what they were. The clouds had souls of their own. They flowed through the sky, slipping through the endless blue field like an endless stream down a hill, heading to the ends of the universe.
He was feeling oddly poetic.
Shikamaru blinked as a familiar face appeared in his line of vision. "Duo."
Duo grinned. "Hiya, Shikamaru." He was silent for a moment, obviously waiting for Shikamaru to say something.
"So, what do ya want?" Shikamaru asked, irritated that his relaxation was interrupted. Even dead, he still appreciated a nice relaxing day. He sat up, sending an irritated glare toward the agent of death and his current guide.
Duo sat down, crossing his legs, though he floated in the air, staying even with his standing height. "Well, I went back to your house for some info. Looks like your wake is tomorrow."
Shikamaru snorted. "So? It doesn't matter. I mean, I'll be coming back in a few days anyway." He stretched, yawning. "It isn't important."
Duo shrugged. "Well, think about it, though. I mean, it's your wake. You can really find out a lot about how people feel about you, ya know?"
The ghost nodded, thoughtful. "Yeah, that makes sense."
"And, since you're figuring out how people feel about you, it'll help you choose who to send to give you your energy boost when the time comes."
"Makes sense," the ninja replied.
Duo grinned. "So, you're gonna go, right?"
Shikamaru laid back down on the roof. "Yeah, yeah. I'll go." This all seemed to be so much trouble. But it was something he had to do.
Shikamaru hated being forced to do work.
***
Outside the Nara residence was a large crowd of people, all wearing black. Many people, ninjas that Shikamaru or his parents knew, people from town, friends of the family, were all gathered in one place to mourn the passing of a Chuunin, killed in a rank A mission that he and his companions shouldn't have even been sent on.
Duo fit right in with the crowd of black-wearing mourners. He was with Shikamaru, standing away from the crowd and watching them. "There's a lot of people here," he observed.
Shikamaru nodded. "Yeah. I didn't expect there to be this many."
Duo slugged Shikamaru's shoulder playfully. "Man, you're one popular guy, aren't ya?"
Shikamaru stared flatly at Duo. "I'm going to check my body." He floated slightly off the ground and flew through the crowd, his astral body going straight through the physical bodies of the gathered people.
Duo snickered. "What a weird kid." He followed Shikamaru at a leisurely pace.
As Shikamaru entered his living room, he immediately noticed both of his parents, somber, with all their tears spent, kneeling to the side of the body. His former instructor, Asuma, was kneeling in front of them, giving his condolences. He was dressed, as was expected, in black. Shikamaru was surprised by the fact that he didn't have his customary cigarette.
Shikamaru didn't get close enough to hear what the Jounin said. When he finally got within hearing range, Asuma stood up and walked over to the body and the small shrine, complete with a picture of a napping Shikamaru. Kneeling in front of the shrine, Asuma spoke as if he knew Shikamaru was listening. "Boy," he began, though afterwards he paused, as if unsure of his words. After the moment's pause, he continued. "You had too much ahead of you. Too damn much to be killed like this." He clenched his fist. "Damn it, if I had been here, I could have gone with you! I could have stopped them, everything would have been so much easier." Shikamaru was shocked when he noticed a few tears in his former teacher's eyes. "You shouldn't have been sent on this mission. Your skills have improved so much, you could have made a great Jounin one day. A great ninja. Why did you have to be cut down in your prime? Before you could grow into the great ninja you could become?" After a few moments, the Jounin snorted. "What am I talking about? You have become a great ninja. You led your team, a pack of Genin with no real combat experience, and defeated five ninjas most likely on the Jounin level. You've become a good man, Shikamaru. Why couldn't you live?"
Shikamaru was deep in thought as Asuma stood and left, saying his good-byes to Shikamaru's parents. His place in front of the shrine and body was replaced by Kakashi, the solemn ninja still wearing his mask, though his forehead protector was gone, allowing both eyes to be seen.
Shikamaru ignored him, in favor of following Asuma.
Asuma made his way to the back of the room, where Shikamaru noticed Duo looking over a figure kneeling in the back of the room. Shikamaru immediately recognized Chouji, who had apparently recovered enough to attend the wake. Chouji was hunched over, tears streaming down his face. Shikamaru felt bad; he wished he could tell Chouji then and there about his eventual return.
"Poor kid," Duo said. "He looks like he really misses you, man."
Shikamaru could only nod.
Everybody in the room looked up at the shout of "Shikamaru!" The boy in question saw who had shouted his name; Naruto Uzumaki. The boy was wearing his usual clothes, an orange ninja outfit, instead of black. Tears were falling from his face, a mirror of Chouji's, except with more sniveling. People were still staring as Naruto walked over to Shikamaru's body, collapsing on his knees next to his instructor. "Shikamaru," Naruto said again, though more quietly. "We were supposed to come back together. All of us." He sniffed, then wiped his nose with his sleeve. "Nobody was supposed to die! What's the use in accomplishing the mission if you're dead before you see the results?!" His voice had risen as he ranted, and now he stood, gesturing madly toward Shikamaru's body. "Why did you have to die?"
Kakashi looked at Naruto, though he remained silent.
Asuma, in the back of the room, watched quietly until Naruto was finished, then he turned and left. He couldn't answer the boy's question.
Gai and Rock Lee stood together, both contemplating Naruto's words. They also silently saluted the hero Shikamaru had become.
"Damn," Shikamaru grumbled.
"A lot of people miss you, man," Duo piped up. "They're really worked up about this."
Shikamaru looked at Naruto. "Yeah, I guess so." Not wanting to stay in the room, feeling a bit uncomfortable, Shikamaru walked out, followed by Duo.
The pair came upon the sight of Ino, looking much the same as two days ago, when Shikamaru had died. She was bawling in the arms of her once-time best friend turned rival, Sakura. Sakura gently patted Ino's back, feeling awkward but trying to calm her friend. Ino had been rather calm after her initial fit, but being at Shikamaru's wake had reaffirmed her sorrow.
"He wasn't supposed to die," Ino said between sobs. "He was the smart one. He was the talented one. Why did he die?"
Sakura tried soothing Ino as best as she could.
"I'll never forgive Sasuke for this," Ino continued, crying. "Never, never, never..."
"I feel like a damn spy or something," Shikamaru mumbled. He felt strange, watching everybody as they mourned his passing. He felt like he was intruding on private events, even though they centered around him.
Duo turned his head to look at the dead boy. "Well, if you want, we can leave for now. Then we can tell everybody tonight."
"That would be best."
***
In her home, Hinata Hyuga laid on her bed, staring at the plain ceiling above her. She could dimly hear the sounds of her father and sister training outside as he passed on the arts of the Hyuga fighting style. She had been replaced as the heir to the family in an informal ceremony. Heck, it wasn't even a ceremony. Her father had simply told her the news as if he was telling her it would rain that day, as if the news were of little importance. He expected her to simply nod and go along with it.
She had, too. That's what she hated most.
Maybe he was right in replacing her, if that's the way she acted. She had said, during the Chuunin exams, that she wanted to change herself. But she hadn't changed, she was the same old Hinata.
Briefly Hinata felt a pang of guilt, thinking only of herself. She knew that, at that moment, there was a wake being held for that boy, Shikamaru. He seemed to be a friend of Naruto's, and he was the only Genin to be promoted during the exam. Neji was attending, she knew, though she had decided not to go, as she barely knew him.
As another cry was heard from outside, she wondered how that boy would act in her situation. He'd probably do something about it.
Which showed how little she knew Shikamaru.
***
In the Demon Realm, three figures sat around a small campfire. It was dark, the fire only providing a dim amount of light. The sky was also lit at several points due to lightning, though it didn't rain a drop.
"Look," began one of the figures, "we don't have time to waste here. We need to be moving!" The person's voice gave away her gender.
"Feh," one of the other figures replied. "We can't go barging in asleep on our feet, can we? That's an easy way to get killed. If you wanna get killed though, go right ahead, that'll mean more spoils for us."
The first one was silent at that, though obviously not happy about it.
The third figure, after a moment's silence, spoke. "We had best get to sleep, then. The sooner we sleep, the sooner we wake, and the sooner the loot will be ours."
The three quickly doused the fire and went to sleep. Just a few more days, and they would strike.
***
Shikamaru floated gently above the ground, watching his home below him. The wake had ended an hour or so ago.
"Now would be a good time to begin," Duo said.
Shikamaru nodded, and the two headed into his home.
***
Fighting Spirit
Chapter 01
End
To be continued...
***
Author's Notes: Wee, a new fanfic. I just had the idea, and I had to write it down. Besides, after working on my Ranma fanfic for a while, I decided I needed a short break. Amazing how these short breaks turns into days, isn't it? This is what I did during my break. I'm a bit ashamed at its length, it's rather short, but I felt like ending it here.
Besides, I promised myself I'd have it posted by this evening.
As you can see, this crosses over Naruto, Yu Yu Hakusho, and Gundam Wing. For now. There will be more.
Shikamaru has, more or less, taken over Yusuke's place. But this isn't Yusuke's world, it ain't even close, and Shikamaru acts, and even fights, totally different than the Urameshi punk. It'll be interesting to see how different this storyline is, don't ya think?
***
EternallyLost
spiffystudios@hotmail.com
"This is such a hassle..."
Timeline: This takes place during Chapter 209 of the manga of Naruto. Tayuya and Shikamaru have been fighting, and things diverge from there. Everything afterwards is considered AU. Definitely, it can't fit in the manga after this... As for the other series, for all intents and purposes none of them ever happened. The characters exist, well some of them, but none of the scenarios of the shows.
***
Fighting Spirit
Chapter 01
The Diamond in the Rough
***
Shikamaru stood to the side of the hospital room, watching his best friend Chouji recover from his battle. Most of the serious injuries had been taken care of, by the Hokage herself, but he still needed time to recover his energy. He wondered idly why he was here, Chouji would be fine without him. Besides...
The twelve year old idly blew a strand of hair from in front of his face. After his battle with Tayuya only hours ago, his hair had fallen out of its usual place, tied back on top of his head, and he was too lazy to fix it.
His teammates had all made it out without serious injury. Well, not quite. All four of his teammates, five if you counted the late arriving Rock Lee, were near death. But all of them, with the exception of Kiba, had been victorious in their battles. However, with the proper healing, all of them were fine. No permanent injuries, no death. Shikamaru had done well, in that regard. Even Sasuke was making a full recovery, after the beating Naruto had given him.
As a doctor came in to check on Chouji's progress, Shikamaru slipped out of the room unnoticed. He had already checked up on all of his other allies, all that was left was to check his family, and perhaps his friends. As he thought of that, the young Chuunin snorted. Friends? Besides Chouji, who would that include?
Probably Ino and Asuma, was Shikamaru's silent answer to his own question. He, Chouji, and Ino had all worked under Asuma as Genin Team 10 in the Hidden Leaf. They had been through a lot together. Shikamaru wondered if they had been told the news of the battle.
Making his way out of the hospital, heading into the deep shadows of the Hidden Leaf Village's streets at night, Shikamaru noticed it was raining. Accurately portrayed the mood, though. He snorted. He hated somber moods, too much hassle.
After a few minutes of walking at a leisurely pace, Shikamaru found what he wanted. Ino's home, an average-sized house with a garden in front, was a place Shikamaru rarely visited. Not that he disliked Ino, it was just too far out of his way to visit that often.
Seeing the door already open, Shikamaru entered. He didn't bother knocking; he didn't think it would matter. Noticing a set of ninja boots at the entrance, he noted they were too large for a friend of Ino's. One of the older ninjas, then. It made sense.
Hearing a quiet noise coming from the living room, Shikamaru headed in that direction. Stepping over a potted plant that partially obstructed his path, Shikamaru noted the scene as he entered the large room. Ino was hunched over on the couch, sobbing fiercely as the light of the chandelier above allowed Shikamaru to see the tears on her cheeks. His former instructor and Ino's current instructor, Asuma Sarutobi, sat next to her with an arm around her shoulders, trying his best to comfort the distraught girl.
"So, those shoes were yours." Shikamaru's statement received no response from either of the people. They hadn't even noticed him. That irritated Shikamaru somewhat, but there wasn't anything he could do about it. In any case, his search had been made much easier due to his other query, the elusive Asuma, being there. He must have been the one to break the news, Shikamaru idly noted. It made sense, to send the team captain to tell the news to his students.
Shikamaru walked up to the two of them, standing in front of them both. "Both of you have done a lot for me," he started. Thinking a moment, he really couldn't come up with any more to say. "Well, take care guys." Once again, his words met with no response.
He turned his eyes upwards, as if looking through the smooth white ceiling and hanging chandelier into the heavens. He wished he could just lay back and watch the clouds, like he usually did, but he didn't think he would do that again. "Botan, I'm ready."
As if summoned by his words, a slightly older girl, she appeared about 14 or so, appeared to Shikamaru's right. She had blue hair, somewhat long and tied in a ponytail, and was dressed in a pink kimono, carrying, of all things, a boat oar. "So, you've come to terms with your death?" she asked. She seemed to be a normal girl, and Shikamaru had been incredulous when she had introduced herself as an agent of death, the Grim Reaper.
Shikamaru nodded in response to her question.
Botan leaned closer to the shorter boy. "What about your parents? You haven't seen them, yet."
Shikamaru snorted. "If there's more crying, then it'll just be a waste of time. I have better things to do than watch my parents grieve."
Botan thought of mentioning that, no, he really didn't have anything better do to, because he had already been granted time to say his final words and visit those closest to him. But she held it back, she could see he had other reasons not to go. "Well, then, we'll visit King Yama and decide on your fate." She paused a moment. "Are you sure you're ready?"
Shikamaru nodded again. He was as ready as he'd ever be, he supposed. No use in dragging it out.
God, it sucked being dead.
***
Shikamaru seemed bored as he walked through the din and hustle of oni as they went through the hectic activity of keeping the Spirit World in smooth, working order. After hearing Botan explain that, in the Spirit World, oni were often used for manual labor and menial work, and that the hustle was an everyday activity, Shikamaru quickly grew disinterested of the sight. It might be true that he was seeing something that almost no living human saw, but then again he wasn't a living human any more, either. He knew of the existence of demons, so knowing they ran the Spirit World wasn't all that interesting once you got over the initial shock.
Now, Botan's flying oar, that had been interesting.
Botan guiding the ninja to a door, which left Shikamaru in awe of its size, though he didn't outwardly show any sign of his awe. The thing was well over twenty feet high. Just who was expected to use it?
"This is King Yama's office," Botan explained. "He's reviewed your case and will pass judgement here." As an afterthought, she said, "Be sure to be on your best behavior."
Shikamaru nodded. He didn't want to make a bad impression on the man deciding the fate of his soul.
Botan waved her hands toward the door. Shikamaru half expected the doors to open by magic, but what actually happened was two oni running up to the door and pushing it open. The boy thought it was rather... odd. And not nearly as dignified as he'd think the ruler of the Spirit World would expect.
Botan and Shikamaru entered and saw the desk where King Yama sat. Shikamaru had been prepared for a lot of things, from King Yama being a horrible demon to a noble and regal man, but seeing the ruler as a toddler was something he definitely did NOT expect.
Apparently, neither did Botan.
"Lord Koenma, what are you doing in your father's office?!" Botan yelled, shaking her hands to emphasize her point.
Shikamaru wondered why, considering he was dead, his ears hurt so much.
The toddler, pacifier in mouth, dropped down from the top of King Yama's desk, which was fairly impressive for a baby. Heck, with the size of the desk, it was fairly impressive for any person. "Botan, you should treat me with more respect. I am King Yama's son and heir, you know."
Botan bowed, signifying that she did, indeed, respect Koenma. "Of course, Lord Koenma, but I still need to know why you are here and your father is not."
She calmed down pretty quick, Shikamaru noted.
Koenma nodded in a sage-like manner. "Of course, of course. Well, my father, being who he is, needed to leave in a last minute call from deep within the Spirit Realm. I was only supposed to handle his duties as far as paperwork and leave the decision of spirits to him, as the trip will be brief." He stopped and looked at Shikamaru. "However, after reviewing his file, I decided that Shikamaru is deserving of my attention."
Shikamaru snorted. This Koenma might have been a high ranking official of some sort, but he was still a toddler, and he found it hard to give respect to a baby. "What the heck interests you about me, kid?"
Koenma's eye twitched. "Kid? Who are you calling kid? I happen to be a good deal older than you, and much better looking to boot." He cleared his throat. "But, to answer your question, there are certain things in your file which strike my interest." He held up one hand, a single finger up. "First is the way you died."
Shikamaru glanced over at Botan, who was standing to the side, silent. She must have escorted many ninjas to the afterlife, what made his case special?
As if responding to his unspoken question, Koenma continued. "Your mission was a success. At many points your decisions kept your team alive. In the end, all your team members survived and your mission was accomplished."
Shikamaru snorted. "My teammates survival depending on their own combat skills. I had nothing to do with that."
Koenma nodded at the boy's point. "True enough, but you assembled the teams, you made the tough decisions for them. And in the end, you were willing to sacrifice your life for theirs. Not many people have that dedication, loyalty, and drive needed to make such a decision."
Shikamaru was silent at that. Though he doubted he had drive, the fact that he had willingly given his life in performing that forbidden suicide jutsu, the final attack any ninja could give, was true. Tayuya had him beat, totally and completely. She fell for every single one of his plans, but she was able to power through every single trap and jutsu using pure strength and chakra. His brains had been beaten by her brawn. The jutsu had been the only way to ensure his victory and keep her from joining her comrades in fighting against his teammates.
Koenma continued. "This all speaks volumes about your character. You might have some flaws, but that just makes you the diamond in the rough, Shikamaru." Koenma reached out and pulled a folder from his robes. The folder had the ninja's name, Shikamaru Nara, written on the front in bold letters. "I've read through your file a few times, Shikamaru. You're a good kid, and a strong fighter. You have great abilities in tactical planning, your physical abilities are exceptional, and your skill is ahead of your age." Koenma smiled, barely visible behind the pacifier in his mouth. "And your spiritual powers are beyond exceptional, even if unused."
Botan gasped, her hand covering her mouth. "Lord Koenma!"
Koenma nodded. "Yes, Botan. The reason I'm here to speak to him and decide his fate is because I wish to recruit him as my new spirit detective."
Shikamaru narrowed his eyes. It sounded like a job. God, did they expect him to work after he was dead, too? "What are you talking about?"
"It's quite simple," Koenma said as he shifted his attention back to Shikamaru. "In addition to my usual duties, I'm in charge of the Investigation Department. We employ agents of our own and spirit detectives, people who live in the Human World who keep the Human Realm under control."
Shikamaru snorted. "Well, Koenma, in case you haven't noticed, I don't LIVE in the Human Realm any more."
Koenma smiled. "No, not until I bring you back to life."
That caught Shikamaru's attention. "You can bring me back to life?"
Koenma nodded. "As long as your body is in good condition, yes. And if you agree to become a spirit detective." He spoke with complete seriousness. "It's an important decision, but I hope it'll be an obvious one."
Shikamaru thought about this potential boon from all angles. He was getting his life back, true. But it left him in servitude of Koenma, to go about and fight demons or whatever it is spirit detectives did. And he would still be a ninja of the Hidden Leaf, so it was like having double the work. Was it really worth the bother? It's not like he had anybody who cared much about him, after all.
His mind flashed back to early memories of his childhood. Of him, young and carefree, though just as lazy, lying on his back and gazing at the stars. How lying there one day, he had met Chouji.
He and Chouji were friends. There was no denying that. They had absolute faith in each other.
Chouji had been out of it when in the hospital, he didn't even know Shikamaru was dead. But Shikamaru knew how much Chouji would mourn his death. One person did care for him.
Shikamaru began to smile. His parents must miss him something terrible, too. He knew his mother was always a pain in the ass, yelling at him to do more training, to clean up the house, or something else equally meaningless, but she cared for him. His father did, too, even is he did drag Shikamaru out of bed every morning for some early training. Shikamaru always thought that his dad was just as lazy as him, but apparently he took his role as a ninja seriously.
Realizing he did have a few people who cared about him, Shikamaru reached a decision. For those few he cared about, and who cared for him, he'd do this. He might be lazy, and had no motivation at all, but Koenma had been right on one thing, and that was that Shikamaru was loyal and cared about his friends.
For a second, a vision of Ino crying flashed in his mind as well.
"I'll do it," Shikamaru answered. "But I better get hazard pay for anything dangerous."
Koenma smiled. "Don't be silly, Shikamaru. You won't get paid at all."
Shikamaru frowned.
Koenma clapped his hands together. "Well, now that that's settled." He turned to Botan. "Botan, get back to work. I'll take it over from here."
Botan hesitated. "Are you sure, Lord Koenma? Who'll take him back to the Human Realm?"
Koenma waved a hand to dismiss her. "I'll have it taken care of."
The girl hesitated a few more moments, but then left.
"Now," Koenma began, "if you'll follow me to my own office, we'll discuss how to bring you back to life."
***
"So, I have to find somebody willing to kiss me?"
Koenma nodded. The two were currently in Koenma's office, which was a medium-sized room, empty save for a regular-sized desk and a few stacks of papers on it. "Well, it's the only way to get the boost of energy needed. Just a little, to restart your spirit energy moving through your body. A jump-start, if you will." He sucked on his pacifier a bit before continuing. "Though it'll have to wait a few days. I'll need a while to revive the body, and then you'll have to wait for the window of opportunity."
"What window?" Shikamaru asked, regarding the toddler.
"It's quite simple," Koenma explained. "You can only be revived within a twelve hour period. Noon to midnight, in four days."
Shikamaru nodded, taking Koenma's words at face value. "All right, I got it. But what do I do between then and now?"
Koenma looked Shikamaru in the eyes. "You must contact your friends and family, to tell them about your revival, to tell them about the energy transfer, and to tell them not to worry. I'll be sending you with an agent of death, so you don't need to worry about the how at this moment. Besides that, though..." Koenma smiled as if he was conspiring evil things. "You can always check out the girls."
Shikamaru groaned. Jeez, he was supposed to be a baby, right?
The conversation was cut off as a knock rang upon the door to Koenma's office.
Koenma cleared his throat. "In any case, here's the agent of death I was talking about." He spoke louder, addressing the person on the other side of the door. "Come in!"
Shikamaru watched as the person walked in the room, striding with confidence. The ninja had fully expected to see Botan again, but this wasn't the case. The agent of death was a man, for one thing. Well, more of a boy, really. He appeared to be 15, average height, with long brown hair braided down to his butt. Definitely not Botan.
"Hiya," the boy said. "You must be Shikamaru."
Shikamaru nodded. "Yeah, I am. That must make you my guide, but I never caught your name."
The boy smirked. "Around here they call me the God of Death, but you can just call me Duo."
Shikamaru could, honestly, see how he had gotten that nickname. Duo was dressed completely in black. Black shirt with preacher collar, black straight-legged pants, black boots, even black gloves on both hands. He looked like a goth, except without pale skin, chains, or piercings. Wait, scratch the last one, he had an earring. It was silver, a small hoop earring, and the only color in Duo's outfit.
"So, we gonna get going?" Duo asked, grinning.
Koenma stopped Duo with a raised hand. "Duo Maxwell, you have charge of Shikamaru for now. He's to be the next spirit detective, make sure this gets done right."
"You can count on me, Captain," Duo said with a mock salute. He turned and left with his charge.
Koenma rubbed his forehead. He could feel a headache coming on. "I should have kept Botan with him..."
***
For the first day back, Shikamaru had tried to keep away from his friends and family. He had plenty of time, and he honestly didn't feel like watching them cry or something like that. So he laid back, watching the clouds from the roof of a building.
He had no idea where he was, except that he was still in the Hidden Leaf Village, but he honestly didn't care where he was. If he didn't recognize this place, it probably meant that nobody he knew would show up there. That's all that mattered.
Duo had left a while ago, claiming to be bored out of his mind. He said he'd wander around town; he had to stay near Shikamaru, but wandering the same town was obviously close enough.
So Shikamaru was alone as he watched the clouds.
When most people watched the clouds, if they even had the patience to do so, would try to identify them with objects. That one's a horse, or a bird, or a shuriken. When Shikamaru watched the clouds, he appreciated them for what they were. The clouds had souls of their own. They flowed through the sky, slipping through the endless blue field like an endless stream down a hill, heading to the ends of the universe.
He was feeling oddly poetic.
Shikamaru blinked as a familiar face appeared in his line of vision. "Duo."
Duo grinned. "Hiya, Shikamaru." He was silent for a moment, obviously waiting for Shikamaru to say something.
"So, what do ya want?" Shikamaru asked, irritated that his relaxation was interrupted. Even dead, he still appreciated a nice relaxing day. He sat up, sending an irritated glare toward the agent of death and his current guide.
Duo sat down, crossing his legs, though he floated in the air, staying even with his standing height. "Well, I went back to your house for some info. Looks like your wake is tomorrow."
Shikamaru snorted. "So? It doesn't matter. I mean, I'll be coming back in a few days anyway." He stretched, yawning. "It isn't important."
Duo shrugged. "Well, think about it, though. I mean, it's your wake. You can really find out a lot about how people feel about you, ya know?"
The ghost nodded, thoughtful. "Yeah, that makes sense."
"And, since you're figuring out how people feel about you, it'll help you choose who to send to give you your energy boost when the time comes."
"Makes sense," the ninja replied.
Duo grinned. "So, you're gonna go, right?"
Shikamaru laid back down on the roof. "Yeah, yeah. I'll go." This all seemed to be so much trouble. But it was something he had to do.
Shikamaru hated being forced to do work.
***
Outside the Nara residence was a large crowd of people, all wearing black. Many people, ninjas that Shikamaru or his parents knew, people from town, friends of the family, were all gathered in one place to mourn the passing of a Chuunin, killed in a rank A mission that he and his companions shouldn't have even been sent on.
Duo fit right in with the crowd of black-wearing mourners. He was with Shikamaru, standing away from the crowd and watching them. "There's a lot of people here," he observed.
Shikamaru nodded. "Yeah. I didn't expect there to be this many."
Duo slugged Shikamaru's shoulder playfully. "Man, you're one popular guy, aren't ya?"
Shikamaru stared flatly at Duo. "I'm going to check my body." He floated slightly off the ground and flew through the crowd, his astral body going straight through the physical bodies of the gathered people.
Duo snickered. "What a weird kid." He followed Shikamaru at a leisurely pace.
As Shikamaru entered his living room, he immediately noticed both of his parents, somber, with all their tears spent, kneeling to the side of the body. His former instructor, Asuma, was kneeling in front of them, giving his condolences. He was dressed, as was expected, in black. Shikamaru was surprised by the fact that he didn't have his customary cigarette.
Shikamaru didn't get close enough to hear what the Jounin said. When he finally got within hearing range, Asuma stood up and walked over to the body and the small shrine, complete with a picture of a napping Shikamaru. Kneeling in front of the shrine, Asuma spoke as if he knew Shikamaru was listening. "Boy," he began, though afterwards he paused, as if unsure of his words. After the moment's pause, he continued. "You had too much ahead of you. Too damn much to be killed like this." He clenched his fist. "Damn it, if I had been here, I could have gone with you! I could have stopped them, everything would have been so much easier." Shikamaru was shocked when he noticed a few tears in his former teacher's eyes. "You shouldn't have been sent on this mission. Your skills have improved so much, you could have made a great Jounin one day. A great ninja. Why did you have to be cut down in your prime? Before you could grow into the great ninja you could become?" After a few moments, the Jounin snorted. "What am I talking about? You have become a great ninja. You led your team, a pack of Genin with no real combat experience, and defeated five ninjas most likely on the Jounin level. You've become a good man, Shikamaru. Why couldn't you live?"
Shikamaru was deep in thought as Asuma stood and left, saying his good-byes to Shikamaru's parents. His place in front of the shrine and body was replaced by Kakashi, the solemn ninja still wearing his mask, though his forehead protector was gone, allowing both eyes to be seen.
Shikamaru ignored him, in favor of following Asuma.
Asuma made his way to the back of the room, where Shikamaru noticed Duo looking over a figure kneeling in the back of the room. Shikamaru immediately recognized Chouji, who had apparently recovered enough to attend the wake. Chouji was hunched over, tears streaming down his face. Shikamaru felt bad; he wished he could tell Chouji then and there about his eventual return.
"Poor kid," Duo said. "He looks like he really misses you, man."
Shikamaru could only nod.
Everybody in the room looked up at the shout of "Shikamaru!" The boy in question saw who had shouted his name; Naruto Uzumaki. The boy was wearing his usual clothes, an orange ninja outfit, instead of black. Tears were falling from his face, a mirror of Chouji's, except with more sniveling. People were still staring as Naruto walked over to Shikamaru's body, collapsing on his knees next to his instructor. "Shikamaru," Naruto said again, though more quietly. "We were supposed to come back together. All of us." He sniffed, then wiped his nose with his sleeve. "Nobody was supposed to die! What's the use in accomplishing the mission if you're dead before you see the results?!" His voice had risen as he ranted, and now he stood, gesturing madly toward Shikamaru's body. "Why did you have to die?"
Kakashi looked at Naruto, though he remained silent.
Asuma, in the back of the room, watched quietly until Naruto was finished, then he turned and left. He couldn't answer the boy's question.
Gai and Rock Lee stood together, both contemplating Naruto's words. They also silently saluted the hero Shikamaru had become.
"Damn," Shikamaru grumbled.
"A lot of people miss you, man," Duo piped up. "They're really worked up about this."
Shikamaru looked at Naruto. "Yeah, I guess so." Not wanting to stay in the room, feeling a bit uncomfortable, Shikamaru walked out, followed by Duo.
The pair came upon the sight of Ino, looking much the same as two days ago, when Shikamaru had died. She was bawling in the arms of her once-time best friend turned rival, Sakura. Sakura gently patted Ino's back, feeling awkward but trying to calm her friend. Ino had been rather calm after her initial fit, but being at Shikamaru's wake had reaffirmed her sorrow.
"He wasn't supposed to die," Ino said between sobs. "He was the smart one. He was the talented one. Why did he die?"
Sakura tried soothing Ino as best as she could.
"I'll never forgive Sasuke for this," Ino continued, crying. "Never, never, never..."
"I feel like a damn spy or something," Shikamaru mumbled. He felt strange, watching everybody as they mourned his passing. He felt like he was intruding on private events, even though they centered around him.
Duo turned his head to look at the dead boy. "Well, if you want, we can leave for now. Then we can tell everybody tonight."
"That would be best."
***
In her home, Hinata Hyuga laid on her bed, staring at the plain ceiling above her. She could dimly hear the sounds of her father and sister training outside as he passed on the arts of the Hyuga fighting style. She had been replaced as the heir to the family in an informal ceremony. Heck, it wasn't even a ceremony. Her father had simply told her the news as if he was telling her it would rain that day, as if the news were of little importance. He expected her to simply nod and go along with it.
She had, too. That's what she hated most.
Maybe he was right in replacing her, if that's the way she acted. She had said, during the Chuunin exams, that she wanted to change herself. But she hadn't changed, she was the same old Hinata.
Briefly Hinata felt a pang of guilt, thinking only of herself. She knew that, at that moment, there was a wake being held for that boy, Shikamaru. He seemed to be a friend of Naruto's, and he was the only Genin to be promoted during the exam. Neji was attending, she knew, though she had decided not to go, as she barely knew him.
As another cry was heard from outside, she wondered how that boy would act in her situation. He'd probably do something about it.
Which showed how little she knew Shikamaru.
***
In the Demon Realm, three figures sat around a small campfire. It was dark, the fire only providing a dim amount of light. The sky was also lit at several points due to lightning, though it didn't rain a drop.
"Look," began one of the figures, "we don't have time to waste here. We need to be moving!" The person's voice gave away her gender.
"Feh," one of the other figures replied. "We can't go barging in asleep on our feet, can we? That's an easy way to get killed. If you wanna get killed though, go right ahead, that'll mean more spoils for us."
The first one was silent at that, though obviously not happy about it.
The third figure, after a moment's silence, spoke. "We had best get to sleep, then. The sooner we sleep, the sooner we wake, and the sooner the loot will be ours."
The three quickly doused the fire and went to sleep. Just a few more days, and they would strike.
***
Shikamaru floated gently above the ground, watching his home below him. The wake had ended an hour or so ago.
"Now would be a good time to begin," Duo said.
Shikamaru nodded, and the two headed into his home.
***
Fighting Spirit
Chapter 01
End
To be continued...
***
Author's Notes: Wee, a new fanfic. I just had the idea, and I had to write it down. Besides, after working on my Ranma fanfic for a while, I decided I needed a short break. Amazing how these short breaks turns into days, isn't it? This is what I did during my break. I'm a bit ashamed at its length, it's rather short, but I felt like ending it here.
Besides, I promised myself I'd have it posted by this evening.
As you can see, this crosses over Naruto, Yu Yu Hakusho, and Gundam Wing. For now. There will be more.
Shikamaru has, more or less, taken over Yusuke's place. But this isn't Yusuke's world, it ain't even close, and Shikamaru acts, and even fights, totally different than the Urameshi punk. It'll be interesting to see how different this storyline is, don't ya think?
***
EternallyLost
spiffystudios@hotmail.com
"This is such a hassle..."