Catalyst

Catalyst
Shikashinigami

Author Notes/Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto... Thus ends my disclaimer.

Chapter One... Seraphim (Introduction)

Gray masses of clouds huddled over the village of Konohagakure. Rain trickled softly out of the clouds as many of the village’s aspiring students gathered in the town’s center, idly chatting about what they planned to do after the long weekend, or about what they had done last weekend.

Or about what they did yesterday... the kind of idle chatter that makes you feel at home in a crowd. Well sort of.

“Sakura?”

“SA-KU-RA!”

Ino shrugged. What could she do? The girl was zoning out again. She glomped Sakura over the head and quirked her now twitching eyebrow. It seemed Sakura was zoning out a lot lately. A lot! Though she never shared with Ino what it was she was thinking of.

Of course Ino hadn’t figured out that if only she’d have followed Sakura’s gaze she would have found out immediately. Ino mearly placed blame on the newly induced stress of the upcoming Jounin exams.

Meanwhile, Naruto was perched on the top of the fence bordering the outcropping of the small monument placed in the center of Konoha. Leaning back and letting the rain play over his face he shook his head as the water ran in enticing streaks down his face, scattering the droplets around him.

Sakura blinked. She was doing it again... staring at Naruto like that. She glanced at Ino with an apologetic air as she rubbed the small bump forming from the blonde’s fist. “Sakura. What’s with you? You aren’t listening to a thing I say.” She crossed her arms... obviously demanding an explanation.

Sakura blinked and sighed. Ino was her best friend and confidante...

She shrugged. What the hell...

Ino looked vaguely like she had been insulted by Sakura’s lack of sharing and Sakura huffed deciding against her better judgment, and the chance of Ino interfering. Pulling Ino by the hand she led her away from the gathering, upon glancing around she determined they were far enough away from the gathering even Kakashi would not be able to hear her... had he arrived yet.

“Ino...” she started, continuing only after glancing around one last time letting her voice fall lower as she continued. “Have you noticed... well, Naruto lately?” Ino blinked and then blinked again. “What do you mean?” Sakura sighed, and looked a little lost for a moment. “Sakura? Do you have a crush on Naruto?” Sakura looked again at Ino and scrunched her nose at the look of disbelief written all over Ino's face. She pushed some hair back from her eyes and glanced at her old friend again.

Ino looked back when she noticed Sakura zone out again. Finally realizing the cause behind the pauses. She followed Sakura’s gaze to Naruto who was sitting up on the fence surrounding the monument. Ino blinked her attention catching as she relized he looked different somehow...

Sakura watched as he pulled one leg up setting his foot on the fence keeping his balance easily. His hair had grown a bit longer and was now plastered to his face lingering in eyes that were glancing now toward the ground, lidded orbs of ocean blue. His headband was pulled down around his throat... out of his way.

Naruto felt strange, like someone was watching him or something. He glanced around looking for the culprit though it seemed no one was... wait, nope just a nasty look. He shook his head again, this time in disbelief. All these years; he was nearly nineteen after all and still a few of the more stubborn villagers still looked at him as though he were a disgusting bug that needed to be squashed quickly.

That must be where the feeling was coming from...

Ino blinked and nodded when Sakura looked at her, “he’s kind of well, good looking. Isn’t he?” Ino announced softly as Sakura blinked, surprised she hadn’t been developing insanity... Ino had actually agreed with her It was weird though... he wasn’t even wearing his customary bright orange just a black shirt with some khaki pants. She had never noticed he'd begun dressing differently, then again she hadn’t seen him in a while either. He seemed to be busy all the time. Mostly with more advanced missions. Everyone knew he was pretty much the strongest ninja in the village... especially with his teachers and the Kyuubi didn’t hurt either.

Another figure wandered through the crowd stepping into Ino and Sakura’s line of sight, the other leader of the town’s bishounen this time with black hair...

It seemed a white tee and black pants fit Sasuke as much as Khaki fit Naruto. They glanced at each other and Sasuke hopped up on the fence next to Naruto. Ino looked again at Sakura who had a confused look plastered across her face. Ino wasn’t sure she should console Sakura, or slap her to snap her out of her mini trance.

Naruto looked at Sasuke and said something, Sasuke smirked and Naruto looked back up at the sky closing his eyes against the beating rain.

Ino turned back to Sakura shaking her slightly to rid her of that confused look. Sakura blinked and looked at Ino again. “Ino... you like Shikamaru right?” Ino nodded looking a little confused herself at the odd question.

Sakura smiled and looked down, “it seems that Naruto’s crush broke off at an unfortunate time.”
Ino looked downright shocked. Even since they had been Genin Naruto’d had such a big crush on Sakura and she had blatantly refused him every time. After he and Sasuke had finally became Chuunin though and after Sasuke had been dragged back remorsefully by a broken and battered Naruto, that crush had ebbed away quickly as Naruto found other things and people to keep him company. Most of his time was spent with Sasuke, his best friend and he occasionally went out with the ever so quiet Hyuuga Hinata.

A twinge of jealousy shot down Sakura’s spine and she suddenly realized the irony of her situation, even a wet Sasuke in a white tee shirt did absolutely nothing, one glance at Naruto though... she sighed defeatedly as Hinata walked over to them and began talking. Naruto smiled and nodded and Sasuke actually laughed.

If only Sakura had known the content of their conversation.

“Naruto-kun, uh Sasuke-kun? Are you going out on Saturday...” A small blush grazed her face as Naruto nodded and Sasuke laughed. “Your welcome to come with us if you like Hinata...” Naruto had leant closer to her and put on his sexy grin. Hinata blushed even more furiously. “Uh...” she coughed. “I’d rather not.” Sasuke smirked and allowed himself some open laughter. A few people around turned and looked with wide eyes.

Ino watched Naruto flirt with Hinata and got a little red herself for it seemed Naruto had reached Sasuke’s level of... well, the appearence of... how could she put this? He had become one of those guys girls worshiped as a sex god.

And poor Sakura had noticed and fallen hard.

“Well, that’s interesting...” Shikamaru nodded in agreement with Shino’s statement. He ran a hand through his hair and stuffed it back into his pocket. “Yeah... interesting.” He glanced back at the threesome and wondered just what exactly was going on. Watching Ino’s expressions carefully it looked as though she had realized something... but 'what' was the question.

It kind of irked Shikamaru how quickly Naruto had changed, he had always been part of the outcast group. Now he was, well... he was a good student and he had learned every technique the two Sennin had to teach him. He hung out with Sasuke and he had even exchanged his customary painfully bright orange with more subdued clothing. Now he was being labeled, Shikamaru had heard many girls in the village say this: as a walking, talking, breathing, sex god. Just like Sasuke. And Shikamaru had seen him in action.

A few weeks ago a girl had approached him. “Naruto-kuunnn” She had wiggled the best she could and Shikamaru had nearly laughed out loud at the sight. “Would you like to come to my party this weekend? Everyone will be there.” Naruto leaned closer to the girl and let a smirk play over his lips letting his eyes close slightly. “Everyone...hmmm?” He glanced behind him as he felt Sasuke approach. Shikamaru stopped at that thought.

He swore that Sasuke had looked angry when he’d first walked up, angry at that girl. Shikamaru shrugged. Naruto had answered with “and when is this party of yours... Mitsuki-channn.” Shikamaru rolled his eyes and relived surprise again as Naruto had nearly purred that phrase out. Causing the girl to melt right there on the spot. You could have practically seen the hearts in her eyes. “Saturday...” Sasuke walked up behind Naruto radiating dangerously with the anger he had built up and Naruto smirked allowing Sasuke to speak for him. “Naruto is... busy on Saturday...”

A sudden cloud of smoke in the center of the gathering had caught the attention of all those gathered, breaking Shikamaru’s concentration and derailing his train of thought. Though now that he thought of it on every such encounter Sasuke had always been lingering near Naruto, it was strange. He was an incredibly protective best friend and Shikamaru just knew something was off.

The smoke cleared away to reveal none other that the notoriously late Hatake Kakashi.
“Good afternoon everyone.” He said in his usually emotionally lacking voice as he waved slightly, his eye curling into the resemblance of a smile.

“I’ve come to deliver your first orders for the Jounin exams...” He shoved his hands in his pockets, glancing around through the rain.

“You will all be put into groups of four. Each group leader with then be given orders specific to their own group... You are dismissed until tomorrow.”

Groans reverberated through the crown, they had waited in the rain for an hour to receive a minute of orders.

Kakashi smirked under his mask though only three of the Chuunin could tell he was doing so. “Iruka-sensei will present tomorrow’s orders along with Kurenai-sensei and Ibiki-sensei.”

Naruto smiled slightly at the prospect, he hadn’t seen Iruka in a while and wouldn’t he be surprised... he chuckled slightly and glanced at Sasuke raising an eyebrow through matted blonde hair.

“Shall we?” Sasuke raised an eyebrow as well and smirked as he jumped down off the fence replying steamily. “Is that an invitation?” Naruto laughed causing Sasuke’s eyes to close a little, he could drink that laugh forever... “Let’s just go.”

Sasuke grabbed the front of Naruto’s shirt and tugged firmly, pulling Naruto forward. He slipped off the fence and landed easily on his feet. A few of the girls surrounding the area sighed dreamily at the interaction and grace of the two leaving a few of the boys to try to call attention back from their girlfriends.

Naruto smirked and slid his hands into his damp pockets walking easily next to Sasuke. Hinata caught up on the other side and smiled at the two. Naruto loved having Hinata around, she was kind and excepting of their realationship. She even enjoyed doing things with the couple due to the face she thought they were cute. Sasuke enjoyed the fact that just being around Naruto made the girl happy, he could understand that train of thought completely. Hinata was... very 'sweet' and Sasuke had to admit that liked the girl.

Shikamaru and Shino walked over to where Ino and Sakura stood, gossiping no doubt. Ino noticed them out of the corner of her eye shoving Sakura softly to wake her out of the trance she’d gone into watching the two leave. “Oi, Shikamaru,” She hugged him and greeted Shino also. Sakura nodded to each respectively bowing slightly and Shino did the same.

“Are we still on for dinner tonight Ino?” Shikamaru asked, slipping his arm around the blonde girl. He looked at her as she nodded smiling sweetly. “Where do you want to go?” Ino shrugged taking on a contemplating look. “I’m not in the mood for anything really expensive...” She had an idea. She turned around walking backwards. “Sakura are you going home right away?” Sakura looked up nodding. Shikamaru looked at Shino who nodded as well, he shrugged.

“I’ll call you okay Sakura?” Sakura nodded, turning off onto her street as Ino and Shikamaru turned in the opposite direction. Shikamaru waved and Shino disappeared, he lived on the border of town and he wasn’t happy wet... naturally he’d want to hurry home.

“Shikamaru... there’s something I wanted to ask you...” Shikamaru looked down as Ino put a hand to her chin, thinking. “Hm?”

“Have you noticed anything... well, odd about Naruto lately?” Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. “Let’s talk about it once we get back to my place.” She nodded and continued her contemplation as they walked. Leaving Shikamaru to do some thinking of his own.

Sasuke listened on as Naruto and Hinata talked on about whatever things came into their minds. Sasuke was glad Naruto had a friend as good as Hinata. Sasuke had thought it rather funny how people perceived Hinata as Naruto’s girlfriend and he as Naruto’s best friend when it couldn’t be farther from the truth. He smirked as Naruto said something that had made he and the girl giggle.

Shikamaru handed Ino a towel to dry her hair. He was glad she had grown it out again. He loved her hair, he had almost fainted when she had cut it off during the Chuunin exams. He glanced at her as she toweled her hair dry, he felt strangely possesive when she wore his clothes, she claimed she liked the smell of his clothing... which was weird, sweet but weird.

He smiled softly as he watched her, remembering what she had asked earlier he decided to prod a little more.

“So what were you saying earlier about Naruto?” He asked, toweling his own hair dry, Ino looked up. Distracted for a moment by the sight of her Shikamaru with his hair down. She sighed softly before responding. “Oh, well haven’t you noticed he’s been acting weird lately?” Shikamaru leaned back into the couch, draping the towel over his head. “Well, besides the whole attitude shift and his wardrobe... not really. Why do you ask?”

Ino turned leaning sideways into the couch. “Well...” She poked him in the cheek. “You have to promise me you won’t tell anyone... not even Shino.” He glanced sidelong at her, drawing a cross on his chest. “Cross my heart...” Ino nodded. “Well, Sakura... she has a crush on Naruto.” Shikamaru blinked. “That’s too bad, it’s a little late for that don’t you think?” Ino nodded grimly.

“She zones out constantly when he’s in her line of vision. She just... stares at him. The sad part is even today in the rain with a very wet Sasuke near him, and you know how much she liked Sasuke, she couldn’t even pay attention to me talking to her.” Ino sighed. She felt kind of bad for Sakura. “On top of that, it’s obvious he’s involved with Hinata...”

Shikamaru, thought about that. “Yeah... you know I’m not so sure about that...”

Ino stared at him for a bit before retorting, “what do you mean?” He shrugged, “did you ever notice how Sasuke is always somewhere lingering near Naruto... he’s completely possesive.” Ino blinked, “but he’s Naruto’s best friend... it’s typical he would be possesive, and it’s not like we know how Sasuke would act around friends, because until Naruto he didn’t really have any.”

Shikamaru let his head fall against the back of the couch. “True...” He glanced at Ino, “you thinking what I’m thinking?” Ino blinked, “you’re actually going to let me snoop.” Shikamaru smirked. “Only when you let me help you... I’m just as curious to find out what’s really going on.”

Ino laughed... ‘yeah, right like they’re actually together...’ She nudged closer to Shikamaru and rested her head on his shoulder. “You mind if I spend the night. I really don’t feel like going back into the rain...” Shikamaru smirked and pulled on her hand gently, standing. “Not at all.” She hit him following him to his bedroom. “You perv...” She smirked and shut the door behind her.

A/N: This chapter is fairly short... but, it’s an intro so that’s okay. Ja ne. -Shikashinigami