Chapter Text
The taste of ozone coated his tongue. Shikamaru sometimes wondered if the sharp electricity in the air was a natural feature of the land of lighting, if it was caused by the altitude, or if it was simply a byproduct of all the fighting in the area. Regardless of the cause, the thought wasn't one he dwelled on for long. It was nothing but an idle thought, barely a blip on his mental radar as he considered the battle that raged in the valley far below him. Normally, Shikamaru wouldn't be so far from his comrades, but something was...off about this particular battle. He'd wanted a better vantage point, hoping the new perspective would help him figure out what, exactly, was so off. He supposed it was a lot of things.
It had been a number of months since the Akatsuki last tried to press their way through the peninsula, the longest they'd ever gone between attacks. He wished that boded well for the alliance, that it meant they'd backed their enemies into a corner, but...Shikamaru knew better than to underestimate the bastards they were up against. The lull in fighting had likely been so they could refill their ranks. It wasn't like they had nations or villages backing them, at least not willingly. Outside the Akatsuki members themselves, Obito relied on Zetsu and resurrected shinobi as his main fighting force.
Shikamaru had no idea where the Zetsu came from, but he'd learned a little about the Reanimation Jutsu over the years. Mainly, he knew it required a sacrifice, presumably one for each person resurrected. And after five years of war, the number of people sacrificed was so great it had scarred much of the world. The strategy was brutal, but much as he wished otherwise, Shikamaru could see the logic in it. What were a few villages compared to the power the Akatsuki would gain by sacrificing them? Or the upper hand they'd have by forcing the alliance to fight those they'd lost?
He thought of all the times he'd had to go up against Ino, Choji, and Asuma. Of the hesitation that never seemed to leave no matter how often they were used against him. It was a bone-deep reluctance, one that he could see plenty of shinobi falling victim to. Not everyone had the kind of strength of will needed to fight their allies, even if they were technically already dead.
They were at war. They had been for a long, long time. So even though it had been months, the assault hadn't been unexpected. It just came much faster than anyone anticipated, the enemy forces cutting through the peninsula swiftly and without warning. There was usually a pattern to these things, small tells that gave the Akatsuki away. Word of strange occurrences would find their way the alliance: Villagers--sometimes whole villages--disappearing en masse. Black cloaks with red clouds. Doppelgangers and monstrous, snake-like men. More often than not, it was a surefire way to tell when a fresh wave was coming. It gave the Alliance time to prepare.
They didn’t have any of that this time. This time, there were no whispers, no disappearances. So where had Obito and Kabuto found the bodies they needed…?
Shikamaru surveyed the battlefield from his place above it, a frown twisting at his features, something like unease coiling in his gut. He had a bad feeling that was only getting more pronounced as pieces of the puzzle clicked into place. At first glance, the Akatsuki ranks seemed as formidable as ever, but Shikamaru was quickly realizing it was just clever positioning, an illusion of might. They didn’t actually have more fighters, they hadn’t bolstered their ranks at all...
Which meant they had something else up their sleeves, some kind of trap that the Alliance fell for hook, line, and sinker. They wouldn't be attacking otherwise. Question was, what was it?
Damn it!
“Temari, report. What’s going on down there?” He called over the radio, but he didn't wait for her reply. He was already body flickering towards the battlefield, already planning the fastest escape route in his head.
“Shikamaru--” There was a grunt and a pause. Ah, she must be fighting someone. “This isn’t exactly a great time.”
“I know, but it’s important. Just--” He dodged an attack as the battlefield came into view, “Zetsu or former allies?”
There was a long pause before her voice crackled to life in his ear. “Mostly Zetsu. Their usual heavy hitters haven’t made an appearance yet.”
“I was afraid you’d say that.” He held back a groan, “We need to retreat, nothing's--”
Shikamaru skidded to a halt as he stared up in horror, the rest of his words cut off by a curse. Amidst the battle, off in the distance, a mountainous creature seemed to drag itself from the ground. There was a cacophony of sound. Hundreds of trees were crushed beneath the immense weight of the summon. Geysers of dirt and stone rose up in great plumes as it hauled itself forward and rose to an impossible height. The thing--summon?--was humanoid in general form, but it had too many eyes and large spikes protruding from its shoulders and back. Shikamaru had never seen anything like it.
It roared.
Time ground to a halt. Battle cries ceased and jutsu sputtered before they could be given proper form. Everyone sucked in a collective, horrified breath as they watched. What else could they hope to do?
The summoned giant rear back, chakra gathering at its mouth as it prepared and launched its attack. There was none of the grace or elegance of a jutsu. It was just raw power, nothing but a dense ball of dark chakra moving at impossible speed.
There was a grim sense of resignation, of acceptance as Shikamaru realized this would be it. The end. He scanned the battlefield, searching the faces of his comrades as air roared and raged around him, the atmosphere becoming heavy and oppressive. The taste of ozone was almost too much to bear, now, the atmosphere cracking and spitting with mounting, inescapable energy. He scoured the landscape until he found her. He almost laughed when he did.
She was so far away, yet he could so clearly see the firm set of her posture as her fan unfurled, the metal edges glowing as she funneled chakra into it. The muscles of her body were taught, braced, ready for what was coming. He imagined the look on her face would be one of fierce defiance. Of course she would fight right to the bitter end, try to hit back against a ball of pure chakra that was much too big, much too deadly for any of them to withstand. Of course. She wouldn't be Temari if she did anything less.
The impossible blast of energy leveled everything in its path. Trees, rocks, the very land itself. All was consumed and hurled away. He heard the screams of his comrades, felt the rush and force of the blast as it came ever closer… but he didn't turn to look, his eyes focused only on her. Always on her. Always. She was the last thing he wanted to see if this was truly their end.
Wind ripped at their clothes as she braced herself. Black energy sparked and churned at his periphery and he watched as she raised her fan to meet it head-on, strong and determined as she always was, as she always should be. He could no longer see her as dust and debris blew past, biting into his skin as he counted down the milliseconds they had left.
Something flared to life against his chest, bright and hot.
He closed his eyes and held her in his mind.
Everything burned.
Leaves rustled gently in the trees, their undersides glowing as the morning sun filtered in through the branches. The scent of battle was missing from the breeze. An easy quiet lightened the air, broken only by the soft, familiar sounds of wildlife. Rabbits rustled in the underbrush and birds alighted in the trees, the gentle activity nostalgic and calming. Peaceful. Wrong.
It was that wrongness that finally dredged Shikamaru up from the muddy depths of forced slumber. He woke slowly and painfully, a sense of alarm rising up in sluggish fits and starts as he tried to desperately latch onto consciousness. The determination was admirable if futile, his attempts halted by the jagged breaks in his ability to think coherently. A sense of dread settled in alongside the alarm. He couldn't keep lying around, couldn't afford to stay downed like this. Not when he was supposed to be fighting. Not when his friends and allies needed him.
For someone who relied on his intellect, Shikamaru knew he'd be in a bad spot if he couldn't get himself moving--and fast. He was running out of time (He had to be running out of time). C’mon, think. Get it together. Move…!
But his body didn't want to cooperate. His mind was still hazy and unfocused, thoughts disjointed and broken as he tried to grasp at every shred of memory he could. Something seemed to have shattered his mind ( Genjutsu…? ), leaving him to pick up the pieces, and he couldn't even figure out what that something was. It was a literal headache, a frustration made all the worse by the pain radiating out from his center.
Every part of him ached and burned, his body at once feeling like it was being pulled apart and slammed back together again. He blamed the pain on his chakra--or lack thereof, his reserves so depleted they were bordering on complete exhaustion. Mind, body, Chakra. All in all, he'd been left useless on almost every front.
Just what the hell happened?
Too slow for his liking, Shikamaru started to find himself again. The pain permeating his entire being began to ease, his ability to think following suit shortly after. He was relieved when his thoughts started to stick together in ways that made sense, the haze shrouding his mind clearing like beams of sunlight breaking through lazily drifting clouds.
Certain scraps of memory still eluded him, were still unfocused or out of reach, so he decided to focus on his current circumstances until he could ground himself a little more. It was better than doing nothing, and he was sure the context of his situation would fill in once his head stopped pounding. He just hoped he wouldn't need to react with urgency any time soon. Sure, no one had attacked him yet, but even so...there was something about his surroundings that had him on edge.
It was quiet. Much too quiet.
There was a peaceable vacuum where the intensity of battle should have been. Rustling leaves and the sound of birdsong replaced the violent clash of blades. Even the sharp stench of fire and blood and broken things was gone. Instead, the scents surrounding him were soft and nostalgic. They were of a forest just after the rain, of wood and dirt and life. It smelled like home. None of it made sense.
Even if the fighting had moved on, there should be something more going on around him. There should be the sounds of medics looking for survivors or of continued fighting far off in the distance. Yet all he sensed were the scents and sounds of a landscape undisturbed.
Shikamaru opened his eyes and immediately regretted it. It was too bright, his view vague and blurry, like stepping into the sun after spending too long in the dark. He blinked a few times to adjust to the light, ignoring the uptick of pain the increased stimuli caused. Warm sunlight and blue skies...It was an oddly serene sight. If he wasn’t supposed to be in the midst of battle, he might have been tempted to continue lying there, watching as clouds passed slowly through the early morning sky.
Alright...break time’s over. Time to get a move on.
The longer he spent on the ground the riskier his situation would become. With just how drained he was, it would be bad news if an enemy spotted him, and besides...he needed to find the remains of his division. If anyone other than him was still alive, anyway...
“ Ugh. ”
Sitting up was a struggle, as expected. Every muscle in his body screamed in protest, but he forced himself past the feeling and sat up anyway, the need to gain a better view of his surroundings outweighing his discomfort. Given what he identified of his surroundings already, he shouldn’t have been surprised, and yet the forest of thick, healthy trees that stretched out before him was still disorienting. Nothing marred the land, there was no sign of battle. Hell, it didn't even look like the land of lightning, the landscape and terrain completely different from where they’d been fighting before.
He scanned the area slowly and carefully, one hand clutching the side of his head as he tried to ignore the ache at his temple. Just when he was about to relax, something caught his eye that makes him freeze: The Nara clan symbol carefully carved into the bark of a nearby tree. Glancing at other trees in his vicinity, he found a few that also bore the symbol of his clan, the lot of them forming a kind of line through the forest.
So...he's at the edge of the Nara Clan Forest, then? How?
When he was younger and first starting to learn about his clan’s history, his father had taken him out into the woods behind their house for a lesson. It had been an all-around boring afternoon. Every word Shikaku said had gone in one ear and out the other, but Shikamaru could still remember his father pointing to these same trees. Back then it hadn't seemed to matter, the lesson had been troublesome, had cut into time he'd have rather spent napping on the back porch. The people of Konoha already knew to stay out of the Nara's neck of the woods, so what did it matter if Shikamaru knew the exact location of the border?
Shikamaru cursed the laziness he once wore as a way to shirk responsibility, the lessons of his past seeming all too important now. What else had his old man said back then...? He seriously doubted intercountry teleportation would've been among those teachings, but...
A soft groan sounded off to his left, stopping his train of thought and breaking his focus all at once. His attention snapped to where the sound came from, to where a familiar Kunoichi was lying flat, her body partially obscured by tall grass. Temari. Despite how much he might grumble, Shikamaru was always glad to hear her voice. He'd have recognized it anywhere. It was distinct, with an almost imperceptible rasp that reminded him of wind swirling through grains of sand.
For a moment he simply stared down at her. All he could think was how relieved he was to hear the familiar lilt of her voice. It meant someone else was still alive and here with him. Even if her presence brought more questions than it answered, he thanked everything he had that it was her lying beside him. That she was the one who survived out of everyone left.
She looked and sounded as exhausted as he felt, which tracked. If they both came here by the same means, then it was likely they were experiencing the same aftereffects, that she was suffering from the same pain and thick-headedness Shikamaru was. He frowned at the thought, his brows furrowing in displeasure as he studied her more intently. She didn't seem to be seriously injured, which was good. If anything she just looked tired. Temari sat up slowly, her expression a grimace. Shikamaru could sympathize.
“Temari, do you remember what happened?” He had an inkling that she wouldn't, but hearing it from her was the only way he could really be sure. His eyes slid back to the trees bearing the Nara family crest as he waited for her response, his mind still going through the possibilities. He could think of a few reasons they may have ended up where they did, but none of them really fit, none answered his questions in a way that was satisfactory.
“Not really. The last thing I remember clearly is--Ngh…!” Temari’s hands flew to her head. Logically, Shikamaru knew she was fine. He knew. But that knowledge didn't stop the roiling discomfort in his gut at seeing her in pain, didn't stop him from reacting without thinking. He pushed past the heaviness in his limbs and the aching pain in his muscles to be at her side, to make absolutely certain she was as safe as she had first appeared. Shikamaru was relieved to verify she wasn't sporting any serious injuries. Temari just looked annoyed as she slapped his hand away.
“What a drag.” Shikamaru sighed, flopping onto his back next to her, the last of his energy expended.
“Haven’t heard that one in a while.” Temari shook her head. He could feel her eyes on him in silent question, though he didn't respond or acknowledge what she said. The statement was loaded and so was the concern in her gaze. It would be too troublesome to open either can of worms. Better to just move on, it would be less hassle that way.
Silence fell between them as they both worked through the situation at hand. Shikamaru was trying to think backward from the moves on his mental shogi board, hoping he might be able to piece together something that made sense. He was clearly missing something, though, and it left him with too many unknown variables, with too many blank spots for him to feel comfortable making a confident assessment. He could theorize all day, but without knowing more--
“An attack was coming at us. A nasty ball of chakra that should have…” Temari trailed off, brows furrowing as she bit her lip, “That’s the last thing I remember. I was getting ready to try and deflect as much of the attack as I could, but there was this-this heat near my chest.”
Shikamaru watched quietly, focused on her words and her every movement. He wanted to tell her to take her time, but he knew better. They'd known each other for a long time, and her temper was something he was well acquainted with by now. She'd just snap at him if he said anything, tell him to mind his own damn business, that she could do this. After a moment, Temari continued speaking.
“I don’t know what it was, but it felt like it was pulling me apart. Next thing I knew I was here.” The “and I felt like shit ” went unsaid.
Shikamaru hummed thoughtfully and winced at the sudden, sharp pain at his temple. Flashes of images and sensations surfaced in his mind, his memories finally deciding to get with the program. An impossibly large attack, a strange heat near her chest...yeah, that lined up with what he remembered, too.
Why were they the only ones here, though? What made them different from everyone else? What had even caused this?
“Did anything else stand out as strange?”
“No, nothing.” Temari shook her head. There was a faraway look in her eye as she glanced away from Shikamaru, her gaze shifting out towards the forest. She continued to worry at her lip, her expression falling to a careful blank, “We’re probably the only ones left, huh?”
It was more statement than question, almost resigned in tone. Regretful.
“Yeah, probably.” He said it with an almost casual air, though there was weight hidden in the timbre of his voice. Despite sporting his usual unimpressed expression, Shikamaru felt the loss of his comrades keenly. He always did, even if Naruto once accused him of the contrary. He just couldn't let them hang heavy on his shoulders. If he did, he wouldn't be able to keep a level head or lead his allies in battle. He wouldn't be able to do everything he could to prevent more death, more despair, more loss.
The Allied Shinobi Forces lost so many over the years. They were nothing but a fraction of what they once were. How their meager forces managed to hold the line this long was anyone's guess. A testament to their skill as shinobi, he supposed, but even so...They couldn't afford to lose anyone else. It was a fact that was always at the forefront of Shikamaru's mind. It kept him up at night, the faces of his long-dead friends demanding he do better--plan better.
Once again silence settled in the space between them as they both took time to grieve. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, remembering that Gaara and Kankuro had been on the front lines with them. With his sand, Gaara may still be alive, but…Shikamaru started to say something, to try and offer some of the comfort he wished for when he lost his precious people, but she beat him to the punch like she always did. He wasn't surprised when she changed the subject. She tended to skirt around vulnerability like it was a poison, which was just as well. They were both good at compartmentalizing.
"How did we get here, anyway?" Temari frowned as she took stock, as baffled as he'd been by their change in scenery.
"No Idea, but we're in luck," She raised an eyebrow and he rolled his eyes before continuing, "I know where we are, so we should be able to pick up supplies and get in touch with the alliance before the day's out. We can figure out the how of it all later."
"We’re in the middle of the woods. How--”
“See that over there?” Shikamaru interrupted, jabbing a thumb toward one of the marked trees, “That’s my clan’s symbol, it marks the border of our forest.” When Temari didn't immediately respond, the look in her eye one of skepticism, Shikamaru sighed once again. The word troublesome drifted through his mind. He was already tired of talking (of thinking at all) and just wanted to get a move on. Ah well. “Which means we’re probably an hour from Konoha, tops.”
That got a reaction, her expression one of surprise and confusion and something close to annoyance. He could see the wheels of her mind turning, see her coming to the same conclusions he had. For them to be so close to Konoha shouldn't be possible unless someone used a space-time jutsu on them. But no one on their side had the power necessary to send someone so far away, and it didn't make sense for the enemy to do something like this. It all added up to nothing. They just didn't know enough, their situation a mystery that had Shikamaru feeling slightly on edge. He just hoped they were able to find answers soon. And if not...that this wasn't a prelude to something worse.
“Now let's get going. The sooner we get there, the sooner Naruto can stop thinking we’re dead.”
Dirt crunched softly beneath their feet as they made their way towards Konoha's main gate. The road was as quiet as the forest had been, a lull that should have been relaxing if it wasn't for the uncertainty they were walking toward. Konoha itself should theoretically be fine, but neither of them was looking forward to hearing word from the frontline. They'd been there. They knew it was unlikely there were other survivors, but that didn't mean they wanted to see the list of names.
Shikamaru spent some of the journey fiddling with their wireless radios, hoping someone might respond. He had little luck, eventually pocketing the radios with a sigh. They still worked, which was good, but the silence only confirmed what he already knew. No one was out there listening. Shikamaru and Temari were the only ones left. He glanced at Temari out of the corner of his eye, taking in her steely expression, her clenched jaw, the tension in her shoulders. She was looking straight forward, eyes on the road, but Shikamaru could tell her mind was elsewhere. Probably thinking about her brothers. He wished he could reassure her, but they would be hollow words and he knew it. Instead, he went for a different approach: Distraction.
"I don't know about you, but I'm beat." His hands went up to rest behind his head as he walked, his stride slowing to something more relaxed. The longer it took them to get to the village, the better. They couldn't avoid the inevitable, but a few minutes wouldn't hurt. It's not like they could do anything from here. "I can't wait to lay in an actual bed."
She snorted by way of response, returning his sideways glance with one of her own. She shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Don't get your hopes up. I'm tired, too, but you and I both know we'll be stuck writing reports."
"Yeah, yeah, don't remind me." He muttered, fighting the urge to yawn. It wasn't all grumbling, he was still both exhausted and low on chakra. It was the worst combination, he didn't know how Kakashi functioned like this. He swore he was about to keel over. Shikamaru was generally pretty good at managing his resources. He hadn't even done that much, hadn't used a single jutsu. Realistically, he should have more than enough chakra available to him. Yet here he was, limping along as if he'd completely expended himself. It was like his energy had been sucked right out of him somehow. He wished he knew more.
Shikamaru very nearly stopped in his tracks as something caught his attention. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up, reacting to the almost-imperceptible sound of someone approaching them. Multiple someone’s, from the sound of things. He knew it was most likely the Barrier Team, given how close they now were to the village, but it still set him on edge. He didn't like being snuck up on like this. The approaching Shinobi didn't show themselves (as expected), but he knew they were there, hiding in the trees, scrutinizing their every move. One glance at Temari and he knew she was also on alert. Good, that would make things easier if they needed to act fast.
"If you don't want me to remind you, don't make it sound like you're leaving all the work to me." Temari snapped back. Her voice was casual and teasing, but her body was tense. Ready. Waiting. Her eyes narrowed, fingers twitching at her sides, ready to draw a kunai at the first sign of trouble. The pair shared a look. Shikamaru gave a subtle shake of his head and tapped the word 'H O L D' in a coded rhythm against his thigh. He turned his eyes back to the road.
"What a drag." He sighed with forced nonchalance. The Barrier Team's actions nagged at the back of his mind, left him feeling slightly off-balance. It was yet another thing that didn't make sense, another variable he couldn't easily maneuver. Shikamaru and Temari were well-known. Both their chakra signatures should have been logged, free to come and go from Konoha as they pleased. Treating the two as a potential threat didn't make sense, considering they shouldn't be raising any kind of red flag. Not when they were both high-ranking members of the Alliance and heroes to their respective villages. Even with heightened security and the world being on high alert, this seemed out of place somehow. Extreme. Had something happened?
If so, it must have been recent. As far as he was aware, the last report from Konoha had been about a group of refugees that had settled down recently (and without issue). There had been no mention of white Zetsu or attempted infiltration. Nothing that would have indicated to Shikamaru and the other division commanders that there was something amiss. It was looking like he'd need to check in at the gates, which was troublesome. It always took longer than it needed to, which meant it would take longer for him to get back to his home. He wanted to check in on his mother and Mirai as soon as he could.
The rest of their journey passed slowly. The air was tense despite their slow, easy gait and short, meaningless conversations. Shikamaru walked with his eyes closed and his hands behind his head, ears open and listening closely. No one tried to stop them, no one obstructed their path. But they followed closely, clearly interested in keeping an eye on the pair. If he had more energy to spare, he might have been annoyed.
"We're here." Temari stretched, and he could hear her pace starting to pick up.
"About time." Shikamaru smirked lazily, some of the tension leaving his shoulders.
The Barrier Team dispersed once they reached the gate. Shikamaru wasted little time, making a beeline for the small guardhouse just inside the village walls. Well. It was more booth than house, but he wasn't about to argue semantics. He was, however, surprised to see one of the guards was a clansman. The guy was leaning back in his chair, clearly bored. Shikamaru recognized him vaguely. He was some distant cousin or uncle that had retired from active duty ages ago. It made sense he was manning the gates, though. The village was likely short-staffed this far into the war. This Nara probably wasn't the only one pulled out of retirement.
Fighting the urge to rub at his eye, Shikamaru went to sign in. He could feel their eyes on him, but he didn't look up as he wrote his name. Whatever looks they were giving could wait. Probably surprise, if Konoha had heard from the frontlines already. Clan heads dying was kind of a big deal. Another thing he'd have to deal with. He hoped no papers had been signed yet.
"Hey, have we gotten any news from Naruto about--" He knew it was the wrong thing to say the moment the words left his lips. He didn't know why, nor why they were reacting to Naruto's name specifically, but it was hard to miss the sudden tension. And even though his eyes were to the table, he saw their quick movement in the periphery of his vision. They were reaching for weapons. Damn it! What the hell is going on here?
Shikamaru sprung back as a kunai whistled past his ear, his shadow stretching out to restrain the two guards as they rushed forward to follow him. Temari reacted the moment he did, he could hear her pulling the fan from her back, though she...seemed to falter as she noticed something he hadn't. He wanted to ask what was happening, what was wrong, but he didn't trust himself to speak. It was taking everything he had left to keep their opponents stuck in place.
"Hey, Shikamaru?" Her voice was strange, strained and thin. Like someone trying and failing to keep panic or alarm out of the quality of their voice. It didn't suit her, and Shikamaru was pretty sure he'd never heard her voice pitch up that quickly before. It was enough to genuinely worry him. He forced himself to turn away from the guards, toward her, and then followed to where she was pointing. The Hokage Monument. A very wrong Hokage Monument. Where the hell was Lady Tsunade and Lord Sixth?
His mind went blank and then accelerated.
"Knock them out." It was all he could manage. He could feel sweat beading on his forehead, his vision and mind wavering. The guards would be able to pull themselves free soon. He took in a heavy breath. "We need to get out of here before backup arrives."
And she did. With two heavy hits from the butt of her fan, the pair of guards crumpled. Neither Shikamaru or Temari stuck around to see the aftermath. They turned and ran, the two of them rushing back through the gate and into the forest as quickly as they could manage.