"Ino….you know I would not ask you if I didn't think you had the ability" Tsunade said looking the young woman in the eyes.

"Why….why me?" She stammered out not believing what she had heard.

Tsunade sighed "Sakura is needed as a medic-nin, Hinata is the head of her family – not to mention engaged, and Tenten, and Tenten just can't cut it"

"But what about the others? There are more than 4 damn kunochi in this village" Ino snapped, she quickly covered her mouth looking apologetically at Tsunade.

"They don't have the looks, or background Ino, you don't look or act like a ninja…." Tsunade saw Ino bristle "….even though you are, and highly trained at that, which is why you are perfect"

Ino looked at her feet feeling tears beginning to form from her shame and embarrassment "Is it because I'm useless at everything else Hokage-sama?"

"No!" Tsunade stood and walking over to the younger woman wrapped her in her arms "This is a hard, horrible class of ninja; your mind technique will be put to good use! I could make you into a teacher, but that wouldn't be as important because what we need is more kunochi who specialise in seduction, and who aren't…" Tsunade paused stopping what she was about to say

Ino pushed herself away "who aren't as important, expendable ones – am I right?" she said in a low angry voice "I'm leaving, you'll have my answer within the week" she said grabbing the folder Tsunade had given her and leaving the place

Shikamaru wasn't surprised when he saw Ino sitting on the hilltop. She was surrounded by paper weighted down by rocks, and her eyes were red.
"Troublesome" he muttered resigning himself to not having a quiet afternoon "Hey Ino" he said
Immediately all the papers were in the folder and he wondered if they'd ever been there at all.
He decided to ignore it for now, instead sitting beside her and speaking "you've been crying"
She didn't speak picking at the hem of her dress.
"Your meeting with Tsunade went badly?"
No answer but her sniff was as much a confirmation as any
"She wants you to quit being a ninja?" he said half joking.
A warm spot hit his arm

His eye widened as he saw tears slide down from her face and hit the ground. Ino never cried in front of anyone, her pride wouldn't allow it, even though they'd been best friends since they could remember, he'd never seen her cry.

"Ino – what's wrong?"
She threw the folder to him and he opened it to find a ninja specialisation pack. "Ino! This means Tsunade wants you to become a specialist! That's really good"
"Read it!" She said as she sobbed harder
Frowning he carried on reading. Some differences hit him straight away. Although the layout was the same as all the other Specialisation pamphlets/introductions the information was something he had never seen before.
"Seduction nin?"
She nodded still not able to speak
"You've read this?"
"Hai"
"And Tsunade thinks you're suited to this?"
"Hai….she probably thinks in a whore…." Ino admitted before wiping her tears away roughly
Shikamaru looked up sharply at this statement "Ino, no one thinks that of you!"
"Then…why….?"
"It's probably your botanical background and natural beauty"oops, please don't notice the last bit. Please don't notice the last bit
"Botanical background?" Ino asked
"A lot of our work is done with close range weaponry, and poison. Thus a thorough knowledge of plants is required" he read from the text
Ino visibly relaxed a tiny bit "I want to be useful to the village Shikka…..but…."
"You don't like the thought of having sex with strangers to either kill them or ply them for information" he said bluntly
"No…..how could I ever have a family or even a boyfriend with that kind of job hanging over us?"
"If they loved you they'd understand it was for work"
"What else does the leaflet say? I think I missed it"
With a sigh of 'troublesome' Shikamaru put his arm around Ino's shoulders pulling her back to lay with him in the grass in the sunset.

"There are only ever 5 seduction nin active in the village, these usually compromise of three kunochi and two male ninja, S-nin are trained in the use of poisons, seduction, fashion, etiquette, dancing, close range weaponry including acupuncture….Ino? Are you awake?"
She wasn't and Shikamaru sat with her quietly breathing on a starry night.
Its almost cruel Shikamaru thought staring upwards Ino is finally recognised only to be given this…. He scowled at the pack only to force himself to relax as the woman beside him stirred. A cool breeze was picking up and Shikamaru stood hefting Ino over his shoulder, she didn't even stir.

The next day Ino woke up in her bed, the sunlight was filtering in through the windows, showing that it was almost 9 in the morning. With a groggy sigh she stood and began to get ready for the day
Shikamaru must have brought me back she thought seeing a note in his unique spiky, droopy handwriting on top of her specialisation folder. She sighed and opened it after a few moments she smiled and looked out of the window. I guess, I wanted a specialisation class, its something I've been recognised for…I'd only make an average grade medic-nin anyway…I best go see Tsunade
That done she placed Shikamaru's note on the table and grabbing the folder exited via the window.
A breeze gently unfolded it, revealing in Shikamaru's writing a single sentence.

What ever you decide, I'll always be here