The Fourth Hokage's Secrets

Chapter 5: Add to the Pact

Author's note: Sorry for the wait! Thanks to everyone for all you've done so far; favorated, alert and community. But most of all, comments. I absolutely love it when I get feedback. Thanks so much! So, in this chapter, I wanted to show how they can't do everything on their own, that they need help from others and how familiar faces begin to work together to accomplish similar goals. Let me know what you think! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and made up characters! :D

Warnings: Nothing really, maybe just language.

Word Count: 5,712

Two months pass. Naruto and Sasuke spend all of their free time with Shikamaru, Choji and Kiba. The band of boys are rarely seen without each other running around the village causing trouble. The five of them got reprimanded pretty bad by Iruka. And the Hokage. And all the other teachers in the school. And every single parent. Kiba's sister. The list goes on and on. But it stopped being something to be ashamed over, and became something they bonded over. Occasionally causing mischief but per Sasuke's request, they settle down a little.

Sasuke and Naruto go back to the Yondaime's estate, just to play around, getting a feel for the land, but they haven't gone back into the house. They spend a lot of time playing around and having fun. Yes, they originally sought out Shikamaru, Choji and Kiba in order to use them to further their training, but they are actually forming powerful bonds. These boys are their friends. And they are friends with each other.

Kiba and Shikamaru, who were boarder lining friends before Naruto and Sasuke got involved, have only become closer. Choji is still the awkward man out when it's in groups of twos but him and Shikamaru try to be friends, for their parents' sake. It's slow going, and the two are very different, but at least they are making the effort. Kiba ad Choji bond over their next big prank. Choji is really a smart pranker and Kiba can respect that and even enjoys it. It's one of the things that pulls those two and Naruto together. Shikamaru and Sasuke occasionally share their annoyances with the girls in their class.

And Naruto and Sasuke? They are almost inseparable. They may not be solid friends in groups of two, but all together they get along perfectly,

"Do you think they are ready?" Naruto asks Sasuke on their way to the academy.

Sasuke considers, rolling his shoulders back. He slept weird last night. He was actually waiting for Naruto to ask because he too had begun to wonder of perhaps they were ready. There was really only one way to know for sure. To show them.

"Let's hope so," Sasuke says softly. He looks over and smiles faintly at Naruto. "Tonight?"

Naruto nods. "Tonight." He sounds more assured than Sasuke, which was good. One of them had to be sure.

When they get to the academy, Shikamaru is the only one of their bands of buddies that's there. He's got his head down on the desk, ignoring the sounds of the other students around him. Their talking and joking and laughing is all just background noise that he either ignores of lets it sooth him to sleep. Either way, the spiky haired boy is fast asleep when they get to him.

"Shika? Not get enough sleep last night?" Naruto asks, sitting between Sasuke and the shirker.

At first, Shikamaru doesn't move. Naruto wonders if perhaps the boy with the pineapple shaped head is asleep. Even more often than not, the boy is always asleep or drowsy. Naruto reaches out to touch the silent boy, opening his mouth to ask again when the brown haired boy slowly raises his head, eyes squinted in the brightly lit room. He blinks a few times slowly, looking around as if dazed before his eyes finally adjust.