That Nara... | Naruto Fanficiton

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I walked through the forests about a mile away from Konoha when the sound of a loud crack echoed from behind me.

Pausing, I turned around and scanned the area.

When I saw no one, I turned and started walking again, but this time I kept an ear out for any sudden sounds.

Another crack. Then another. Then another.

They're not even trying to hide their presence. Spinning around, I come face to face with-

"Hello again, Shikarei," Orochimaru greeted me.

"Aren't you supposed to be, I don't know? Dead?" I asked.

"I could ask you the same question," he replied, "I know that I felt your chakra along with your infuriating teams chakra all disappear. Like, untraceable. Non-existent. Poof. Gone."

"Yeah, I get the picture," I rolled my eyes, "What's your point?"

"I'm trying to apologise for not getting the first to fourth Hokage to you on time," he said, "if you'd have waited like two or three minutes, that wouldn't have happened."

"If we waited two or three minutes, the whole of the allied shinobi force could've been wiped out," I replied with a bitter laugh as I remembered that huge ball of chakra.

"That's true, but you guys probably would've survived and then the second attack could've been blocked by Minato Namikaze," he replied, leaning against a tree.

"What do you want?" I asked with a glare, "You're annoying me. You're not someone who apologises. What do you want?"

"I want to know what happened to those brilliant blue eyes of yours," his grin grew wider than a Cheshire cat as his eyes glistened with something I didn't like. It made me uncomfortable to be under his gaze.

"I used the last of their strength on that attack," I replied, "not that I'm complaining. Not only do I have my sight in both eyes, but I don't have to worry about forgetting that it's really dangerous and either turning people to ash or turning them to babies again."

"I wonder if that means they've appeared somewhere else in the world," he hummed with a small chuckle.

"Who cares?" I shrugged, "just leave me alone. I'm not in the ninja business anymore so... I'm just a traveller, you attack me and you're no better than a bandit."

"Your grip on your kunai tells me otherwise," he said, glancing down at my hand that was slipped into my pocket.

"It's actually a shuriken," I glared at him, "but you're right. I may not be in the ninja business, but it doesn't mean I'm not a ninja. Leave me alone or face the consequences. I may not have much chakra, but I know I can give even you a run for your money with my physical power."

"I'm sure you can," he nodded, stepping back, "our meeting was actually accidental, I didn't mean to see you but I'm glad I did because now I can keep an eye out for those beautiful eyes again. Purely for scientific research, of course, nothing else. I'm changing my ways."

I cringed at his words and shook my head.

"I doubt that you, Orochimaru, could ever change," I said.

"You'd be surprised," he turned and began walking away, "have a safe trip home. Wouldn't want you to accidentally kill a bandit or two along your way, Miss Shikarei Nara, the not ninja."

I rolled my eyes and turned around. I decided to run the rest of the way back. The quicker I'm home, the less likely I am to run into more psychotic weirdos.

°🥢°

"Shikarei. You're back," I stared in confusion as I looked at the sight I was greeted with upon entering my home. Ryuzo was sat playing with Himari in the middle of the living room.

"What... What is going on here?" I asked, really confused.

"We're playing hero of the leaf!" Himari exclaimed, jumping to her feet, "look! I'm big brother Naruto!"

She pulled a yellow-orange-ish piece of material around her shoulders and grinned.

"I'm going to beat the Akatsuki!" she exclaimed.

Where'd she learn that name from?

"And I'm going to take you with me, Master Ryuzo, messenger from the sand!" she couldn't stop herself from laughing. I chuckled and ruffled her hair as Ma came in and picked her up.

"It's time for you to go to bed, little miss hero," she told Himari as she walked away, she paused and glanced to us, "I'll give you two some time to talk."

"Yeah... Thanks," I nodded as I dropped my stuff and sat down opposite the shogi board, "whoa-- natural reflex."

Every time Ma said that me and pa would usually play shogi and talk.

I stared at the other cushion and sighed before getting up.

I... should've let Pa win at least one game...

"Want to play a game?" Ryuzo popped up out of nowhere, I stepped over the board and sat where Pa used to sit.

"Sure, but I doubt you'll be able to beat me," I smiled.

"Don't think so highly of yourself," he challenged as we set the game up.

Five minutes in and Ryuzo was glaring at the board, one knee bouncing up and down as he thought of what move to make next.

"Gah! I give up!" he dropped back onto the floor behind him and sighed, "you Nara... Your brains are incomparable."

"We're geniuses, what can I say?" I shrugged and let out a prideful laugh, "anyway, why were you here?"

"Oh. Right," Ryuzo sat up and grinned, "I came to see if you were back yet, but you weren't and somehow I got dragged into playing with your daughter. Not that I minded, she's really cute but she's got the sharingan."

"How did you know?" I asked, freezing slightly at his words.

"She activated it," he looked down at his hands, "does that mean that she's going to be caught up in all their hatred and revenge?"

"No," I shook my head, "I'll make sure she won't. It's one of the reasons why I'm not being a ninja anymore. I... don't want her to grow up not knowing the love of a mother or father like Sasuke did."

"Father, huh?" he looked in the direction that Ma had walked off into, "she's Itachi Uchiha's daughter too, right?"

"Yeah," I nodded.

"She's going to grow up to be something incredible then," he let out a sigh, "he was amazing. When we were kids, we bumped into each other on separate missions, I was struggling pretty bad with mine and he took time to help me out. It was back when I was part of the sands anbu force."

"You were on the anbu?!" I shot him a disbelieving look.

"Yeah. It kind of runs in the family," Ryuzo chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly, "though, I retired from that and became your basic run of the mill jounin who for some reason seems to only ever do messenger runs now. Not that I'm complaining if I get to see you and Himari."

"You've got a smooth tongue there, haven't you?" I asked.

"I do," he stuck his tongue out at me and laughed, "I can diffuse any situation with my amazing words."

"You idiot," I rolled my eyes and stood up, "about that date-"

He hummed and looked to me curiously.

"Does tomorrow night sound good to you?" I asked.

"Sounds perfect," he nodded, a small smile playing on his lips.

Have I ever actually managed to go on a date before? I remember the one with Itachi I was supposed to go on was interrupted by an assassination mission. Other than that... Have I ever actually been on a date before?

Wow.

I need to get out more. Dang.