Her Mask (Shikamaru x Oc)

Chapter Thirty-Six

Tsunade’s eyes were as wide as saucers, and Shizune had her hand over  Tonton’s eyes to prevent him from watching as the girl ripped out her still-beating heart but that didn’t mean he didn’t hear the sickening sound of her cracking open her own rib cage.

Her blood dripped down her shirt and onto the floor, the shower she took before arriving in the office was pointless. She knew that as soon as she had gotten into the water.

“You’re a medical ninja, Lady Tsunade. Tell me, how long can a person live without their heart?”

“Four minutes. Tops.”

“How many of those people are conscious? Not in pain or gasping?” She said not acknowledging the blood that dripped down her chin.

She dropped the heart onto the floor, it made a sickening splat sound when the organ hit the floor. She then dug out one of her lungs, dropping them onto the floor. Her gaze didn’t waver away from the Hokage who looked like a fish out of water.

“Hiruzen saw my potential.” She dropped her lung onto the floor right next to her heart. The blood had already started pooling at her feet from her removed organs. “He saw potential for my strength but because you are a medical ninja you will also find a use for me.”

Her skin had already welded itself back together so she put the kunai back into her chest breaking her ribs a second time pulling out her heart again dropping in right next to the first one. 

“My blood type O-, I am more than willing to be a donor and I’m more than qualified for missions.” She paused for a moment while her wound sealed up. “I hope you can look past my body count and see that I am doing as best I can with what I have.”

The Hokage didn’t know what to say so the girl continued. “I will add whatever terms you require of me to follow even if they aren’t the most reasonable.” The woman’s silence was starting to bother Shingami even though she didn’t show it. 

“I will do anything.” The girl went on her knees on the scarlet ground and bowed staring silently at blood puddle.

Tsunade shook herself away from her shock and looked down at the file, it was written by Hiruzen. His handwriting was always very recognizable and because she grew up around it she knew all the little extra lines he’d add to every document he wrote. 

Tsunade realized just how much Hiruzen trusted her. She’s read the last report Hiruzen wrote before his death, He had Shingami search for Orochimaru, He also wrote about the times he’d brought her to the Kage summits and all the sensitive information she witnessed.

He was a good man who made some bad choices. The woman burned the file with a quick fire Jitsu. 

“Stand up.” The woman said as she grabbed a pen. The girl did exactly as she said without saying anything.

_________

The girl quietly knocked on Shikamaru’s door as her thoughts wandered a bit. The Hokage had signed her contract without any rules that were too unreasonable. She’d requested that the girl donate blood and such when it was convenient for her. Other than that she wasn’t allowed to kill Konoha shinobi which had always been a rule not even directed to her. 

Other than that she just had to do her usual work with T&I, and do her missions with team ten.

It took a little while but Shikamaru eventually opened the door letting the girl inside. 

She didn’t feel like asking where his mother was and didn’t care much for pleasantries at the moment.

She hadn’t gotten a chance to relax since she got back to the village, but that was nothing new. So it was a good thing she’d get to with Shikamaru. 

The girl followed the Nara into the Shogi room and sat down on the side she did last time and put down her first pawn marking the start of their game after she took off her mask.

They were quiet for a few minutes before Shikamaru spoke. “So, what do you think of Lady Tsunade?”

The girl rubbed her eyes and sighed. “She’s good for the job.” She paused for a second. “Maybe a little too good for it.”

“I get what you mean.” He moved another pawn forward blocking one of Shingami’s pieces without realizing it. “I’ve been meaning to ask you something.”

Shingami looked up from the board, her eyes connecting with Shikamaru’s waiting for him to speak. It wasn’t an uncomfortable silence and neither of them seemed to mind it.

“I know that you’re from Yugakure, but…” He diverted his attention down to the Shogi board. “Do you have any family still living there? You don’t have to tell me anything if you don’t want to, I was just curious.”

He lifted his eyes back up but Shingami was still looking directly at him even as she played another piece. “Honestly, I’m not sure.” She waited until after it was her next turn to continue speaking. 

“Both my parents are dead, and I haven’t seen my brother in years.”

Shikamaru was surprised. He had no idea that Shingami had a brother or that her parents had died. At that moment he realized just how little he knew about her.

He knew her favorite flower, he had an idea of her favorite color, her favorite weapon, but he didn’t know so much like her favorite foods, the kind of life she lived.

He wanted to know everything about her, but he did want to come off as demanding and lose the trust that they’d built up over the last year.

“What were they like?”

“My family was always very... religious. My parents had two very different practices.” She unconsciously grabbed the pendent on her necklace rubbing it between her fingers gently, something that the Nara noticed. 

“What kind of practices?” Shikamaru was genuinely curious but he didn’t know that Shingami wasn’t very comfortable with telling him.

“It’s… difficult to put into words but my parents made sure I and my brother followed in their footsteps. My… father more so than my mother.” Shikamaru noticed her hesitation and quickly changed the subject.

“What about your brother? What’s he like?

Shikamaru didn’t realize that his attempt to lighten the conversation only made it that much more difficult on Shingami’s already hurting heart.