Her Mask (Shikamaru x Oc)

Chapter Eighteen

Before Shingami knew it, she was standing in the middle of the courtyard that she had been looking at the night before waiting to find out who she was going to be fighting.

Hiruzen and the other kage were talking quietly so that she wouldn’t hear them while she lazily watched the fresh snow falling from the sky. 

Just like she used to always do when she was younger.

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“Your gonna get a cold, Shingami.” Her brother sighed as he sat next to her pulling her into his blanket to keep her warm. She didn’t answer even as she sat between his legs, grateful that she was warm again. 

She just looked at the snow as it fell it was so calming and left her with a feeling of tranquility. 

“Do you think I’m a bad person?” She said out of the blue getting her brother’s attention.

“No. You're one of the best people I know. Why the hell would you think that?” He was met with more silence even as she snuggled closer into his chest.

“He said something to you didn’t he?” He growled.

She looked up at his magenta eyes the resemblance between the two siblings was uncanny. The boy’s breath caught in his throat when he saw the dark purple bruise that surrounded her right eye, it was a bold contrast to her pale skin.

He gripped her closer. “What did he do to you...?”

She looked back down. “He got angry with me. I guess I did something wrong…”

“You didn’t do anything wrong, Shingami! And don’t you ever believe that!” He hissed before Shingami wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him into a tight hug calming him down so that their father wouldn’t hear him.

“It’s okay, h-” She started but was cut off as her brother wrapped his arms around her small body.

“It’s not okay Shingami…” He whispered as his voice wavered slightly, with unshed tears that threatened to spill from his eyes.

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When Shingami left her dream-like state, she watched as a swordsman from Kiri walking towards her he was about sixteen or so, not too much older than her. 

He looked kind of nervous whenever the Mizukage talked to him his face was always a subtle hue of pink and he was always lightly tapping his fingers on his sides. 

“My name is Chōjūrō, I will be your opponent.” He kept his voice steady even though he was nervous so she had to give him points for that. 

“I am Shingami, it is a… pleasure to spar with you.” She said softly before they both turned to the Mizukage and the Hokage. “Any restrictions?” 

“Both of you need to be alive and capable of fighting.” The mizukage said slowly not wanting the pair to kill each other.

They both nodded and Chōjūrō pulled his big sword from his back holding it out in front of him. Shingami dug her ring finger into the palm of her right hand drawing blood and with a puff of white smoke, her tento was loosely held in her hand. 

The Kage and the other onlookers all noticed the differences in their stances. Chōjūrō was tense and looked uncomfortable, while Shingami was relaxed and couldn’t be bothered by the situation.

“Whenever you're ready…” Shingami started, her right eye glowed through the mask. “... Just don’t hold back.”

After a moment or two Chōjūrō ran full speed at Shingami who just stood there watching him diligently.

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Ibiki walked through the store with a basket looking through the feminine hygiene section.  He just finished getting some more granola bars and fruit now he was going to get some soap for Shingami too. 

The Interrogator looked so out of place standing in the aisle with all the make-up and beauty products.

He looked at all the different vivid colored bottles filled with all different kinds of scented soaps. Shingami, however, would only ever use the kinds that smelled like strawberries after he got her them when she first started living under his roof. 

He didn’t mind getting it just because she really liked it. He spotted the bright pink bottle that he always bought. He remembered when he was buying it for the first time he had no idea of what to get so he just grabbed that very bottle of pink soap because it had a good scent and for some reason seemed like something a girl would buy, so he bought it. 

Once he had the soap in his possession he wanted to drop the stuff off at home before he had to work but frowned when he saw the time. He would be late if he stopped at the house so he would just have to take it with him.

Just as he was leaving the colorful aisle, his eyes landed on a dark blue box. 

‘She’s only eleven...’ He thought to himself walking passed the products used during a woman’s menstrual cycle.

Once everything was paid for he carried the small white plastic bag with him into his office and left it on his desk, he waited for Genma and Anko to show up only to become agitated by Anko’s anxiously loud voice echoing through the halls.

Sometimes Anko was more resonant when Shingami was gone because she wanted her to come back sooner, and she thought that if she annoyed someone enough they would go get her.

Genma never behaved any differently but he was always a little less talkative because his partner in crime wasn’t beside him.

“Io. We’ve got work to do.” Ibiki said sternly when the pair started smiling like idiots when they saw what was in the near-transparent white bag on his desk.

“Aw! You miss her you big softy!” Anko squealed, making Genma wince because she was so loud and the other glower.

Ibiki never confirmed or denied it making the pair laugh as they got to work in order to avoid his wrathe.

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The Kage found that Shingami really didn’t need to do very much. Sure,  Chōjūrō was strong and all but honestly, anyone could see that the girl was on a whole other level.

She barely had to raise her blade to avoid getting hit and all she did was dodge not trying to attack her opponent. Hiruzen knew she was toying with him, he’d seen her do it numerous times before angering even the most level headed anbu out there.

“Rah!” Chōjūrō lifted his blade above his head in frustration to get an even bigger strike. That had been what she was waiting for. She kicked him square in the middle of his chest not only knocking him on his back but also knocking out the air in his lungs leaving him gasping for breath. 

She kept her foot securely on his chest and held the blade close to his throat silently telling him that he lost. When he knew it was over he lightly tapped the girl’s foot and she withdrew it immediately and offered him her hand. He took it and she pulled him up, he dusted himself off and looked kind of disappointed.

“Keep working like that and you’ll develop your skills greatly, Chōjūrō.” She bowed respectfully before finishing with, “It was a pleasure to spar with you.”

He bowed back to show that the feeling was mutual, and said, ”Thank you for the praise and opportunity, Shingami.”

New story: Painted in Blood (Sai x Oc) now out check it out if you haven't already.