Lost (Updated)

4

Sora stood in front of the Hokage looking down at the ground, refusing to look up at him. The Hokage sighed looking at his pouting student who was sent here after being caught skipping the academy again. It was something she often did.

"Sora, why did you skip again today?" The Hokage asked.

"it was stupid and boring. I already knew everything Iruka Sensei was teaching," Sora said.

It wasn't a complete lie, though that's not why she left. She left because of Hikari and her friends. Sora didn't want to stick around and let them torment her. If she fought back she would be in even more trouble than she was now. The Hokage just let out a sigh, there was no getting through to her on this matter, she would be graduating tomorrow she this wouldn't be an issue after today.

"As you know tomorrow you will be graduating and be put on a three-man team," The Hokage explained.

Sora rolled her eyes not wanting to hear another lecture. She already knew this and she wasn't looking forward to having teammates but the Hokage promised her there would be nothing she could do to get out of it.

"you need to be able to get along with people Sora, missions are usually performed by squads. If you can't work with people you will fail your missions," The Hokage explained.

"you've told me this already," Sora sighed tired of hearing the same lecture.

"if you're not going to be at the academy today practice the chakra control technique I've been teaching you," The Hokage said changing the subject.

Sora left his office before he could change his mind. She found her way to a training field where there was a lake. She looked at it sighing. She walked to the edge of the water taking a deep breath as she formed a hand sigh focusing chakra in her feet. She just had to stay focused.

She stepped out her foot making contact with the water. She let her eyes peek open to see her foot holding steady in the water. So she let out a breath moving her other foot into the water hoping she wouldn't get the feeling of water surrounding her, thankfully that didn't happen. Her eyes opened fully to see she was managing to stay on the surface of the water. It was tough but she was managing.

She took a few more cautious steps still wobbly as she nearly fell in multiple times. But she managed to keep going. After some time passed and becoming tired she did fall through the surface of the water becoming drenched. But she tried again each time getting going for longer and longer until she lasted five minutes. Sora climbed out of the lake exhausted. She began wringing out her hair trying to get dry.

The sun was getting low in the sky and Sora let out a sigh. It seems another day was coming to an end. She brought her knees to her chest peering at the lake in silence lost in thought, that was until she heard a familiar voice.

"Did you bail on the last day of the Academy? What a drag," A lazy voice spoke.

Sora turned to see Shikamaru walking towards her his hands resting on the back of his head as he looked up at the clouds seemingly carefree. Sora rolled her eyes looking back at the lake not wanting to pay the boy much attention.

"You're very predictable. You know that right? You always come here," Shikamaru said finally looking down to see Sora staring at the clouds trying to ignore him.

"Like you can talk you lazy Nara. You always come here to watch the clouds. It's annoying. Go find your own spot. I was here first," Sora said more harshly than she intended.

She heard footsteps but they didn't leave as she expected. Instead, she heard someone lying down next to her. She turned to see Shikamaru lying down looking up at the clouds. Sora also looked up at the clouds watching them slowly float by finding herself wishing she could be up there with them. Free to go wherever they wanted and just look over everything. Not a care in the world.

~~~~flasback~~~~

A younger Shikamaru sat at the dinner table with his parents in silence, a persistent train of thoughts going through his head. For some reason, he couldn't get the new girl out of his head. She had joined the academy recently but was completely closed off and cold to everyone, but he still found himself drawn to her, and curious of the mysterious girl.

"what's on your mind Shikamaru?" His mum questioned realising he was more quiet than usual.

He looked up at her, staying quiet as he tried to find the right words to explain what was going through his head.

"This new kid at school seems weird, her name is Sora," Shikamaru said.

His parents were slightly taken aback hearing her name, having heard about the girl already.

"why is she on your mind?" His mum probed.

"She just seems so cold, different from everyone else in our class, except maybe Sasuke," Shikamaru said.

Yoshiro looked at Shikaku not sure what to do in this situation. It wasn't their place to tell their son anything they knew about her.

"Shikamaru, all I will tell you is that she has her reasons and very good ones at that. Do not ostracize her for displaying the techniques she has devised to protect herself," Was all Shikaku said on the matter.

This only made Shikamaru have more questions.

~~~~End of flashback~~~~

Shikamaru looked at the girl next to him, who gazed up at the clouds a distant and longing look in her eyes. Even after two years Shikamaru still found himself drawn in by her. Despite her best efforts to push him away Shikamaru kept coming back, wanting to get past those thick and tall walls she had built up. Every so often he found a gap or a crack and when he peered through he saw a hurting girl who just needed someone to put her trust in and feel safe. He wanted to be that person.