Ch 1 - Mission
Shikamaru walked slowly to the Hokage's office. He hadn't been assigned a serious mission in months, and he assumed that this would be another training job. He sighed. How troublesome, he thought to himself.
Life in Konoha sucked right now. Or at least it did for all those closely associated with Naruto. It was Shikamaru's idea to limit Naruto's friends to missions in the village. It would prevent any one being taken hostage to lure Naruto into the hands of Akatsuki. But Shikamaru hadn't realized that he would be confined to the village as well. He sighed again. Thinking about it was a little depressing, since he had no one to blame but himself.
He felt bad for the others as well, but mostly he worried about Sakura. They had never gotten along very well, but now she would openly glare at him when he passed by. She hated being in the village so much, and he swore that she was quietly seeking revenge.
He arrived at the Hokage's office, and knocked on the door.
"Come in," he heard the Godaime say, and he entered the office with no rush.
"You called for me?" the annoyance dripped from his words. She gave him a look that said Don't push it, and sipped her coffee before answering.
"You have a mission," Tsunade informed. He waited for details, but realized she would not be giving them out anytime soon.
"Do you need me to come back later?"
"I'm waiting for your partner to arrive," she said.
That surprised Shikamaru. He had arrived late. If his partner was even later, this mission would undoubtedly fail. He sighed, took a seat, and waited.
A few moments later, the doors opened and none other than Sakura walked in. Shikamaru raised an eyebrow at her. She hadn't even knocked. When the kunoichi saw him she frowned.
"Yes, Tsunade-sama?" she said, ignoring Shikamaru.
"You're late," the Hokage chastised.
Sakura rolled her eyes. "Difficult patient at the hospital," she explained. Tsunade nodded. "So..?" Sakura pressed.
Tsunade sighed. "I'm sending the two of you on a mission to Marsh country. They were recently attacked by a rebellion from their own village. They need you," she pointed to Shikamaru, "to strategize a fighting plan with their civilian army, and you," she turned her gaze to Sakura, "To help with their hospital."
Sakura looked outraged. "Marsh country? Those rich snobs? And of all the people to send me with," she argued.
Tsunade shrugged. "We are in no financial position to turn away a mission. And I needed a strategist, and a medic, and you two are the only ones available."
"That's because we're confined to the village," Shikamaru reminded her.
"Yes," she agreed, "But I'm making an exception." Her voice had a tone of finality to it, and neither would have argued anyway. "Pack for a long trip, you're there until the problem is neutralized."
The two nodded and left her office.
Sakura was extremely aggravated. She was not on good terms with Shikamaru. It was his fault that she had been confined to the village, left to simple boring missions that a genin would normally be assigned.
She set aside the anger and packed quickly, eager to leave before Tsunade changed her mind. She packed as much as she could, and left for the gates. She waited there for her lazy partner to show up. She waited nearly half an hour.
Shikamaru finally met with Sakura at the gates. He nodded in greeting, but she turned towards the gates without so much as a 'hello.'
"Let's get this over with," she said.
"Yeah," he agreed.
Not a word was exchanged on their journey.