In Their Shadow

Chapter 29

"My mistake, nice to meet you. My names Shikamaru, Shikamaru Nara." Shikamaru said, looking down at Yuma's arm as he talked.

"Nice to meet you as well, Shikamaru Nara. Are you a friend of Yuma's? I can't seem to find anything about you in Yuma's memories." Yumito sounded.

"Nah, more of someone he just knows." Shikamaru responded.

"I see." Was Yumito's only response.

"H-Hello, I am Ino." Ino said nervously, looking down at the arm.

"Oh, I know who you are. I do not wish to speak to you. Good bye." Yumito responded, his golden orbs disappearing, the red bandages re-wrapping around Yuma's arm with a snap.

"Rude!" Ino whined.

"S-Sorry about that..." Yuma said.

'Thanks Yumito.' Yuma thought inwardly, remembering the awful way Ino used to treat him, and the things she seems to have forgotten to have said.

"Get out of that chair failure, I need to sit next to Sasuke!"

"Hey loser, get out of the way, I'm trying to get some sun!"

"Hahahaha, Kiba really got ya, what a failure!"

Yuma clenched his fists, which did not go unnoticed by Naruko.

"I told you that they already got here before us, now stop talking about sparring with him before the exams." A voice said from behind.

"Yosh! It seems you are right Neji, my eternal rival! I shall do one-hundred laps around the entire leaf village after the exams are over to make up for being wrong!" The energetic and up beat voice of Rock Lee sounded out, bringing shivers to Yuma.

"Oh, is that...Yuma!" Rock Lee yelled out, running over to Yuma with a smile.

"H-Hey Rock Lee..." Yuma said, his face going red in embarrassment as everybody looked at him.

"You were able to become a ninja! Yosh, I told you it wasn't impossible!" Rock Lee proclaimed.

"Yuma, how do you know Lee?" Naruko asked Yuma in a whisper.

"I met him and Mister Gai one time when I was frustrated and hungry. They treated me to dumplings and taught me how to use chakra to climb trees." Yuma whispered back.

"So...your the weak link of Team Seven Rock Lee spoke highly of." Neji said suddenly, looking at Yuma in a way that made him feel see-through.

"You're right about him being a weakling. What's up loser?" The voice of Kiba came, bringing a scowl to Yuma's face.

"What do you want mutt breath?" Naruko asked, standing next to Yuma's side protectively.

"K-Kiba, s-stop i-it..." Hinata said worriedly.

"Why? What's little Yuma gonna do? Beat me? That's funny!" Kiba said in a mocking manner.

Memories of his time in the Konoha Academy as a student came back to Yuma all at once, turning his mood sour. His hands curled into fists at his side, as a scowl formed on his face. A sneer was all that Yuma received in response as Kiba got up in his face.

"You and me both know who is the better fighter here, unless you wanna test that again?" Kiba said with a growl.

"Wow, your such a dumb ass, no wonder you have no friends."

"I seriously wonder why your still in this school, you don't seem to be good for anything. Except being my punching bag."

"Hey failure! Give me your food!"