How Troublesome

Chapter 17: A Tiresome Traitor

As they made their way out of the interrogation room, Shikamaru turned to Takeshi. "Where do the aids and the council members usually work? Would they be there now?"

"Well, they were all at the festival, but some of them are probably back working by now. Or at least the aids might be. They take their job very seriously. They should be down the hall from my office. I'll show you if you like," Takeshi said, his expression showing his confusion.

Shikamaru shook his head, "I don't think it would be a good idea for you to come along. It might be dangerous. One more question. Who knows that we have the assassins in custody?"

Takeshi thought for a few seconds. "Well, besides the people in the room right now, I believe that the person who let you use the room and one other who saw you and asked me. But I'm not sure any of them actually know that these are the assassins. They just saw you carrying them."

Shikamaru nodded. "Good." That meant that the person responsible for this mess still probably didn't know.

Next to him, Hikari was staring at Kotone. Suddenly, she burst out, "I'm sorry!"

Kotone stared at her for a moment, and then said slowly, "It's... okay."

Right, because having someone try to kill you was perfectly fine and logical. Was it pure-hearted of Kotone to forgive them so easily, or just stupid?

Shikamaru opened the door leading out into the hall and let Naruto, Hikari, and Keita come through, but he held up a hand when Shota tried to follow them. "You stay here," he ordered.

Shota glared up at him. "What? You're going to make me stay here because I'm a kid, is that it? I've killed people. I don't need to be babied by a pine-apple head like yourself."

Shikamaru's eye twitched. What was it with people insulting his head and hairstyle? Maybe he should change it... but that would be troublesome. He shook his head. "No, I'm not babying you. That would imply that I actually care, which I don't. I want you to stay here under guard so that your siblings won't try to escape. Because, if they try anything, we will still have you and can kill you."

Shota stared at him for a moment longer, and then nodded decisively. "Got it." He almost seemed approving.

Weird kid.

The odd group made their way down the hall, and Shikamaru kept one eye on the two siblings. They really didn't seem to bad, besides the fact that they had killed people. Hikari seemed to be staring at Naruto with something like... Oh, Kami. Really? The girl was blushing and sneaking glances at Naruto. That's the last thing that he needed, a girl who was crushing on Naruto. Just having the entire male population wasn't enough?

Grumpily, he switched his interest to Keita, only to find the boy staring at Naruto's ass. Maybe he should have ruffed him up a little in the interrogation room.

They walked down the hall, turning right and left until they were at Takeshi's room. The room for the aides and council members should be past that, and it was.

Shikamaru turned to Keita and Hikari. "You two stay with me. Naruto, can you go in there and talk to him? Try to get him to use his chakra."

Naruto nodded, straightening her kimono and smoothing her hair, and then walked into the room, almost closing the door after her.

The guy wasn't facing them, but they could see his profile through the crack in the door. Shikamaru just watched as Naruto started her performance.

She glided up to the guy and smiled warmly. "Katsutoshi! Hi."

Katsutoshi glanced up at her, a surprised expression on his face, but it quickly morphed into a smile. "Naru-chan, hello. I didn't expect to see you here. I mean, what are you doing here?" he asked, pushing his glasses up.