Her Mask (Shikamaru x Oc)

Chapter Twenty-five

Naruto’s hand slammed down onto the desk in front of him, successfully getting him the full attention of everyone in the room. 

“Don’t underestimate me! I don’t quit and I don’t run! You can act tough all you want! You guys aren’t gonna scare me off! No way! I don’t care if I do get stuck as a genin for the rest of my life!” 

He stood up tall, to show just how serious he was. “I’ll still be Hokage someday!”

As he sat back down with his arms crossed staring at Ibiki, not wavering under the interrogator's piercing eyes.  Shingami let go of a breath that she didn’t know she was holding looking towards Ibiki waiting for him to say something. 

“This decision is one that could change your life. If for any reason, you would rather quit, now’s your last chance.” But Ibiki knew that the blonde wasn’t going to give in even as the words left his mouth.

“No way I never go back on my word. That’s the way of the ninja.” Naruto said not breaking eye contact with the man.

Nobody else came forward, Ibiki looked beside him at Shingami to get her approval. She nodded ever so slightly, if he wasn’t looking for it he may not have noticed. He then turned to the sentinels and they all nodded in agreement as well. 

Shingami looked around and calculated that there were still seventy-eight genin in the room which was more than what was expected. By her standards, Ibiki’s, and Anko’s.

Speaking of Anko it was only a matter of time before she made her grand entrance. 

Who the hell knows what that psycho has instore for the genin. 

Shingami frowned slightly, hoping there would be no paper bombs in the equation.

“Well then, I admire your determination if nothing else. For those of you remaining, there is only one thing left to do. And that’s for me to tell you.” He paused to add to the suspense. “That you’ve all passed the first exam.”

“What do you mean we’ve passed what’s the tenth question?!” Sakura asked making Ibiki smirk, which caused Shingami to take off her mask and smile slightly herself.

“There never was one. Not a written one at least. Actually your decision to stay was the answer to the tenth question.”

Shingami stared down at her mask while Ibiki explained why he did what he did.

And for a moment she forgot where she was and she let her mind wander.

________________

Five-year-old Shingami was breathing hard, her face was pressed against the dirt floor into the middle of the forest.

“Get. Up. Now.”

The girl looked up, forcing herself to get to her feet and the moment she stood up tall her father shoved her down forcefully and put a blade to her neck.

“Get up!”

“I-I can’t.” She whimpered.

“You are a disgrace!”

He kicked her in the chest sending her flying into a tree before turning his back on her leaving her bloodied and bruised with the air knocked out of her, not looking back to see if she was still breathing or not as he disappeared through the trees to do who knows what.

She couldn’t move, at least half of her ribs were either cracked or broken. Her left leg was fractured in three different places. She was crying silently, as she forced herself into a sitting position, and leaned against the tree.

She sat there for about two hours trying not to fall asleep. Knowing that it would only make it worse for herself in the long run.

“Shin! Shingami! Are you alright!?” Her brother said frantically as he ran to her side. He gingerly touched her shoulder making her instantly feel safe despite everything that was going on.

“I’m fine.” She said quietly but her brother didn’t believe her for a second. He gently pushed her hair out of her face and slipped his arms under her, lifting her up bridal style making sure that she was comfortable and that he wasn’t touching any of her wounds.

“Mom and I were worried. We saw father in the village without you and assumed the worst.”

“I’m sorry-” He cut her off angrily.

“You don’t have a reason to fucking be sorry!” He snapped looking right into her magenta eyes. “It’s not your damn fault! Okay?!”

He looked ahead of them to cool himself down. “Shin… if something were ever to happen to you, I’d never forgive myself.” 

They stayed silent for a few moments and the girl leaned her head against her brother’s shoulder before she spoke up quietly.

“I love you.” She whispered her brother could barely hear it but he did and it made his heart swell.

He looked at her and smiled sadly and squeezed her gently. “I love you too, Shin.”

____________

Shingami snapped out of her daze when she felt a person’s chakra approaching very rapidly, Ibiki felt it too. The window was shattered by a shady looking ball of fabric that Anko suddenly came out of.

Obscuring the genin’s view of both Shingami and Ibiki. Anko reached behind the banner and pulled, more like dragged, Shingami from behind it, the girl was about to protest but Anko stuck a large ripe strawberry into Shingami’s mouth and put the girl’s mask over her face.

Shingami was confused but stood there like Anko had intended her to. Besides, it’d been a while since the girl had her favorite food. So she was content enough for the moment. 

She’d get back at her mentor at a later time…

Unless there were more strawberries...