The Light In The Dark: Book 2

Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto Shippuden. I only own my OC's. All rights go to Masashi Kishimoto. 

Himika slept well the past couple of days. She was still tired but it wasn't as bad. She got up to see that Shikamaru was not there, but his stuff still was. She walked out into her living room and peeked into the kitchen. He was nowhere to be found.

"Where could he have gone?" Himika thought. She focused her chakra and she couldn't feel him anywhere. She looked around to see his vest was hung up on the coat rack and his weapons were laying on the shelf next to it. She figured he would be back so she walked outside and sat on the porch. It was warm outside and it felt nice. Her house was cold and she had been cooped up in there for almost a week now. Just then she saw Shikamaru walking up the road.

"Ah, there you are. Where did you go if you don't mind me asking," she asked him. He chuckled and sat down next to her.

"I just took a walk. I was cleaning my shuriken and stuff but I was afraid I would wake you," he said. Himika giggled at him.

"You thought I would be able to hear you cleaning your stuff out in the living room?" she asked him.

"Well, Lord Riki stopped by. Apparently, with your new powers your hearing and everything is heightened," he said. Himika nodded her head. All of this was interesting to her.

"Oh, and he saw this," he said and raised his hand, showing her the mark that was burned into his hand. Her eyes widened.

"D-does h-he know?" she asked hesitantly. Shikamaru laughed at her. She had a horrified look on her face.

"Yes, he does. He said that it will only happen if you are truly connected to the person you love and it signifies that we are now connected," he said. Himika looked at him.

"How so?" she asked. He shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm not sure, he didn't really explain it much further," he said. Himika wondered why he didn't explain it to him. Maybe because he was her summoning and not his.

"Well, everyone misses you. Do you think you're up for a walk around the village?" he asked her. She nodded and went inside to get dressed. Once that was done, the two walked into town together. It seemed as though they were almost done rebuilding the village.

"Didn't take them very long to recover, it looks like," she said. Shikamaru chuckled.

"We've had help from the Land of Waves people and you are right, it does not take them long to get the job done. Especially since your team helped them with Zabuza," he said. Himika thought back to that mission. It was their first B-rank and it almost scared her. Even though now missions, no matter what rank they are, don't scare her it left just a bitter taste. It was when their team was whole.

As they walked they saw Iruka. He was currently helping someone lift wood up onto a building.

"Iruka-Sensei!" Himika yelled with a smile on her face. Iruka stopped and jumped off the ladder he was on.

"Well, if it isn't Himika. I don't think I've seen you very much. I caught a glimpse of you during the battle with Pain, but you had red hair at that time," he said. He looked her up and down.

"You look so different now," he said. Himika held a piece of her hair.

"Yeah well, normally when people grow up they don't have a complete makeover like this," she said. The three shared a laugh.

"Word has gotten around the village about the changes in your appearance. So, if you get looks from people it's just because they are curious," he said. Himika nodded her head. She understood and she knew for a while she would be the center of attention until people got used to it.