Of Shadows and Wind Dances

She Tells Him + Traditions

~Shikamaru's Point of View~

"Huh." I hummed as I sat up and stretched. 'It's been a while since Akemi's been by, wonder if she's on a mission?' I thought, continuing to think about the brunette as I walked until I caught a glimpse of ANBU.

It was mid-afternoon the next day that Akemi asked us to go talk somewhere private and I agreed, after a long walk in silence we stopped in our spot in the forest. "Okay so what did you want to talk about?" I asked, sitting on the rock she took a deep breath and then turned around. "Shikamaru, I need to tell you something very important but you can't tell anyone not even your own parents about this." She said, I nodded I understood. "I...the truth is, Shikamaru, that I work for the ANBU Black Ops assassination division and have for years like my mother has and does. I take on A and B sometimes S ranked missions, even when I was a genin. I also have two affinities, Water which I get from my mom and Wind which I get from my dad." She explained, confessing to everything she's had to keep a secret and how long. "I know." I said, surprising her. "Not long but I figured it out: the long periods away so often, the injuries, the significantly more pay...Plus, during the chunin exams I caught you having to restrain yourself from showing off too much and using wind style. I won't tell anyone, I get it if you can't tell me about what you do it's fine." I told her, she sighed relieved. "But you owe me lunch." . "Fair." She chuckled, and we left for town running into the others. Sakura and Naruto were with the same black haired boy from earlier, and we introduced ourselves over lunch with them. "Ino, you're being awkward. Snap out of it." Akemi said, poking her with her chopsticks. "I'm Akemi Sato...don't give me a nickname just call me Akemi." She said, Naruto made a noise. "Someone's in a bad mood, wake up on the wrong side of the bed?" He said, she only hummed and Sai seemed the same. After lunch and bidding them goodbye, Akemi quietly told me she felt he was suspicious and I told her about how he attacked Naruto earlier. "I noticed something, I didn't notice it at first but then I saw it again and he has a seal on his tongue. It along with his behavior tells me he's likely a member of the foundation under Danzo....Hm?" She raised an eyebrow at me. "You got all that out of lunch?" . "I'm an assassin gathering intel is a small part of the job." She shrugged, explaining what she knew about the foundation. She stopped and blushed brushing hair back. "Shika, my coming of age for my clan is coming up in a fees days, and I was wondering if you would come." She said, I only nodded though remembered I knew little about what she was talking about. I asked my dad that night and he explained, adding he would be attending as her dad asked for his audience and his attendance was somewhat important to uphold relations between clans.

~Sai's Point of View~

"I'm confused, what's so special about this "coming of age" thing for Akemi's clan?" Naruto asked, Sakura sighed. "It's a important tradition in her father's clan to see if she is worthy to be the heir or head of the clan when her father passes. It's just how it works for the Sato clan, the strongest is the clan head." She explained, as we arrived at the estate. "I do not know much of the Sato clan." I said, they both stopped petrified. "Why did we bring him?" . "Akemi invited him too. Listen, Sai, just stay silent and don't say anything while we're here. Her dad is well known for his monster physical strength second only to Lady Tsunade." . "Akemi's inherited and it's scary...especially when she's mad." Naruto shivered. "Good to know I have that effect." Akemi said, making him jump. "How long were you there?" . "Long enough. You'll probably figure it out that the Sato clan is also known for more than their monster strength, our long golden brown hair is I mean. C'mon we're doing this outside."