Disclaimer: -cries-
subtitle: Adara owns nothing of NARUTO, she is just a girl who has an imaginary world in her mind to force her to write fan fictions. Like it says, it is only a fan-fiction so she does own nothing.No-thing means not even a single thing..Not even the dust.. She owns absolutly nothing...
"Hey stop it alright, they got it!"
He heh...Not even the little bug in Shino..
throws stuff at it.
cries more-
A/N: Even though I own nothing, I can still make them act in my way as long as they are in MY fiction -yells at the subtitle: HEAR IT! MINE, MY OWN, MY- oops!- So they may sound a little bit OOC, they may sound a lot more OOC too :). And yes, I don't understand myself too because I'm one of the 'not-good-at-english-' kinda girls.(cuz, you know, I don't have to..-giggle-)
Pairings: ShikaIno and hints of others-you figure them out.
The oracle is never wrong- or is she?
A nine year old Ino was enjoying herself in the spring-time-festival in Konoha. She had heard that a very good fortune-teller will be there too. Personally, she hadn't believe those things but she thought that it would do her no harm, besides it was just for fun.
So she allowed her steps to lead the way. Once she had spotted a small place, which was just a black tent with a small sign that say: "Do what your instincts say." Ino thought that this place may be it. She smiled to herself and stepped in to face the view a woman in her early thirthies, who was wearing a simple black dress. Her red locks fall from her shoulders to meet her chest and end at her back. Her unusual dark eyes seemed like she had noticed her even before she entered.
"Um, hi." Ino said uncomfortably.
"Sit down." The lady just said. She had an unpredictable look on her face. Ino sat on a chair next to the table, which had an orb on it. Ino noticed there were some cards on the table too. The fortune-teller smiled at her.
"What do you want to know child?"
Ino thought, seriously.
"My future life."
She smiled and nod.
"Are you sure? You are too young and knowing things before they happen, can change your road of life. You have the ability to change your life, if you know what will happen, you either live them- or you will never live them."
"I'm sure." Ino answered, if she had the ability so- and if she won't like her future- she can always change it, can't she? Well even if she can't, a nine year old didn't thought so.
"Alright then..What is your name?" The oracle asked before she sat down.
"Ino."
"Ok Ino.. Now I want you to...choose some cards in this deck."
Ino choose several cards as the oracle deal them in a symbol on the table.
Sibyl frowned as she looked at the cards in the order.
"You will have a hard life. There is a choice you made before and later you will have the consequences of it. Actually, your whole life will depend on it. Have you made any choice that will be a huge part of your life?"
Ino thought of it. She choose to be a ninja, that may be it.She nod softly.
"Well, you will have some hard times Ino, i see your heart will doubt itself so many times. You have a cheerful personality but when you want something, you want to have it- right?"
Ino nod, that's her alright.
"You won't have everything you want always, but I see that you will spend some time of your life by wanting the wrong. Would you want me to be more spesific?"
"Yes please." Ino hold her breath, the fortune teller seems to know everything.
"Well, you will love a boy, and you will have a fight with your best friend for him. Unfortunately Ino, I can't see his life so I wouldn't know how he feels but I know how will you. There are two ways , one is you will be with him the other is, you wont. For the both, you won't be happy. "
"Why?" Ino asked curiosly.
"Becase you actually love someone else. Even now I told you this, you won't know until then, and you will actually forget this till the day you realize. It will be someone you could never think of but you will realize your love for him. But..."
"But?" She hold her breath once more.
Sibyl took one more card and blinked in sadness. Her frown deepened.
"But, he had made the same choice you did before, and the consequences of it will be lot more than on yours.I can't see what is it, but he tries really hard... Unfortunately, he..can't come back."
Ino frozed. So she will love someone but then she realizes she doesn't actually love him and love someone else and he dies? Great, how great her future is...
"Will there be any happy things for me?" She asked sarcastically.
"Yes. If you choose, not to be with the one you first loved- or you though you love.. There may be a chance of you to realize your love sooner. And maybe, you will have the time to live your life- even for a short period- with him. But he, either way..."
She didn't had to end her sentence, Ino caught the meaning.
"I changed my mind, I don't want to know more.." She said getting up. "How much do I own you?"
The oracle smiled.
"You don't..And remember, Ino, you chose to be something very hard to be and you will be very successful at it. But no matter what they say to you, your emotions do matter. Hold on to them, and maybe, you can save your future from the way it has been predicted before."
And for Ino's suprise she disappeared as someone else entered the tent, another woman in her thirties, with brown locks and brown eyes, a simple look. She smiled at her.
"I'm sorry I was out for a while, how can I help you? You want to know your future?"
Ino looked shocked and when she looked back at the table she noticed, the cards were gone..
"Um, no, I...change my mind..."
She left the tent and saw the letters in the enter once more, "Learn your fortune, $5" . She left the place with a very confused mind but all of her thoughts turned into dust when she spotted Sakura and she ran at her to spend the rest of the night with her.
/ 10 years later /
The Konoha residents was getting ready for the festival that night. Ino hadn't had the time to go to the festival once more in ten years, sometimes she didn't wanted to, sometimes she had a mission and never she could go. But as she passed the streets that were in a sweet hurry of the fun she smiled at herself and thought that she should go.
Maybe Choji and Shikamaru would go with her too. Ever since Sasuke thought Sakura changed a lot and they seemed to be in the way to go to a relationship, Ino's thoughts did not include him. She kept a note in her mind to tell them about the feast.
When she arrived their usual train lot she smiled to see her friends. Shikamaru, whom had layed on the grass, gazing the clouds. He hadn't changed a bit since she last saw him. He had been stronger, she thought by eyeing his outlook and smiling. Her eyes left him to met with Choji's and she gave out a small laugh to see her friend never changed -even the chips he hold. She ran to him and jumped in his arms to hold him in her embrace, just to let him spin her in the air.She gave a small kiss on his cheek and grinned.
"I missed you guys.." Ino smiled as Shika looked up at her after he had heard her voice. How could he not? He got up and before he knew Ino hugged him too.
"How troublesome, Ino you're acting like you haven't seen us like years." Shikamaru said, with the slightest hint of pink on his face.
She grinned and jokingly smacked his arm.
"Not years, but I haven't seen YOU like 3 months. Thats a long time too."
Choji grinned as he continued eating his chips.
A little time after their usual 'how are you' talk, they were all on the grass.. Shikamaru and Ino laying and Choji sitting and eating. Ino smiled as a cloud shaped like a dancing cat (yes, she had a huge imaginary), she had reminded herself the note.
"Why don't you come with me tonight to the festival, we'll have fun!" She said excitedly. "Besides, we'll keep up. A lot had happened while you were not around Shika."
Shikamaru did not turn his gaze from the clouds to Ino but he wished to. No matter what he do or say, even if the others believe that he did not, he did missed her. It was easier for someone to boss you around then figuring it out by yourself. No matter how genious he is, he was that much lazy too. Besides, even if he didn't want to admit, he liked Ino. Well, ofcourse you can never get this out of him. Not even Ino could..
He thought a while before answering her. This would be too troublesome, an Ino to look for Uchiha all night like before. But on the other hand, he get to spend some time with her. Besides, even if she goes out to find him, Shikamaru and Choji could talk too.
Choji was a good friend for both of them. Whenever Ino or Shikamaru needed help or advice, they did go to him. No one knows why but probably because he was a good listener. And Shikamaru and Choji often complained together. Shikamaru with his famous quote: "How troublesome." and Choji with his comments mixed with chips sounds.
When he sighed, he realized that Ino kept looking at him. She was waiting for an answer, with that big-expecting look on her eyes. Big, blue eyes.-What am I thinking, he sighed.
"Ok..ok.."
Ino smiled and looked at Choji who agreed to come to. She grinned and jumped up.
"Then I better get ready! There are only five hours left. See you later!"
With that, she disappeared from their sight. Shikamaru sighed and laid back one more time to watch the clouds...
Ino ran to her house with a smile on her face. As she stepped in her house, she ran to her room and picked out her favourite kimono. It was a violet one, with pink flowers on it. She let her hair down to her shoulders and started to get ready for the night. She must look beautiful. She didn't know why, but she must.. That's how she felt about it. Maybe Sasuke will see her and feel regret for choosing Sakura over her. Yeah, that must be it.
/ At the festival /
Everyone they know was there. Once Ino went there, she had spotted like, every other ninja in her school. It was like a reunion. Her eyes first spotted Tenten, who was so unlikely her old-self.
Tenten wore a black chinese styled kimono, which looked wonderful on her. Her hair was down and reaching to her back. Ino was glad to see her hair in a different way then buns. And her eyes captured someone else who was also glad with the vision. Ino grinned as The Hyuuga Neji made his way next to her.
Then there was shy Hinata, who was with Kiba. Ino liked them as a couple. She thought they look cute together. It took some years for Hinata to notice Kiba's worried looks and she decided to return his love since her first chrush didn't seemed to be interested in her.
And then she saw Sakura with Sasuke. But before she thought of them and start feeling blue she had felt someone approaching her. Turning behind, she saw Shikamaru.
"You came!" She said loudly.
Shikamaru looked confused.
"You told me to come?"
"Yes, but I wasn't expecting you to."
"Shall I go?"
The look on Shikamaru was priceless. First she forces them to come and then she acts surprised because they come? What kind of attitude is that?
"No, no! Come on.." She dragged him in the festival, regaining her smile.
"So how's life going on?" Ino said, cheerfully..
"Being a jounin sucks." Was Shikamaru's comment.
Ino laughed at him and then smiled softly.. Shikamaru was indeed a genious, he turned to be a Jounin in the age 17, when Ino had just got used to be a chuunin.
"So, how's the missions?"
He looked at her. Should he say..? Maybe he should, after all she was his childhood friend and all...
"I'm going on a special one, A-rank, next week.." He said softly, glancing at her after his remark.
"A rank? What's the success rate?" Ino stopped..
"I don't know..- fifteen percent maybe-?" He stopped when he saw Ino's look as if something happened to her..
"Ino- what's wrong?"
Ino wasn't listening to him.. After her question, her eyes spotted the tent, which she just remembered.. She saw the letters: "Do what your instincts say."..
First, it didn't mattered to her that Shikamaru was going to an A rank mission, they already went to those a lot but now...
"Shika, do you see that sign?"
He looked in her eyes and followed her gaze to see:
"Yeah, it says- hm- 'Learn your fortune, $5'.."
She looked at him..
"Shika..."
He looked at her and was suprised to see tears forming theirselves in her sky-blue eyes. His own dark eyes were performing the act of 'Suprised' with their best performance.. What the hell was going on?
"Don't go..." Was all she could manage to say..
"What? Ino what are you talking about, what is this all abou-"
"Don't go..." She demanded once more, softly.
"Where?" He give up..
"Don't go to that mission, please..."
"Ino, I have to..I.." Shikamaru was lost of his words, what was all this about?
And all he saw was her leaving, with soft tears falling down from her eyes, making their way to her cheeks. He was too shocked to follow her, but he made a note to talk to her in the next morning...
Ino ran to her room when she reached her apartment.. How could she forget, how could she be so blind, how could she be so stupid to not notice what was written in her nine-year-old-diary.. Why did she need a sign to remember all of this...
"She was right, after all.."
Her eyes spotted the picture on her desk, her favourite one. It even surpass the 'secretly-taken-Uchiha-fotograph'.
It was the one with three kids, at the age of 12 with their sensei. She smiled at the smiling-Asuma on the picture. At his right, Choji was smiling while there was a bag of chips in his hands- luckily for him the picture was taken before he put thousands of chips in his mouth. In front of them, there was her. Grinning and holding the two boys arms with her hands, showing some kind of old-sister-stuff, over-protective kind of thing.. She couldn't name it then..
And then she saw him.. That was when she realized what she would feel if he...Died.. She would never see the lazy expression in his eyes, the worried tone in his voice whenever he saw Ino crying-cursing-etc...That was when she realized the one the fortune-teller was talking about.. It was Sasuke who she thought she loved but her real love was...
Shikamaru...
And now, he is going to a mission- and he will not come back..
That night, she cried... For all the possibilities what would have happen... And when the morning come, she was already fallen asleep.. When she woke up, she made up her mind to make Shikamaru stay.
"Ino dear..." She heard her mothers voice outside of her door.
"Yes mom?" She answered softly.
"There is someone outside who wants to see you."
Ino swear she had heard hints of gladness and hidden giggles in her mothers voice. She sighed and looked in the mirror before leaving her room. When she opened her door, she immediately closed. Her reflection yanked in her mind..
"Oh!"
She went to her bathroom to wash her face, and when she managed to 'not looking like she cried all night', she opened the door and rushed downstairs to see who came to see her..
"Oh.." She was suprised all right. In front of her houses door, there stand Shikamaru...
"Oh?" He raised an eyebrow..
She smiled softly as she went through the door and standed outside. The wind was caressing her skin, whispering in her ear.
"Ino..Why did you run off crying like that, yesterday?"
She looked at him and smiled softly while gazing in his eyes, which she was afraid that she might never see again.
"Because I remembered something."
"What is that?" He asked wonderingly.
"I will tell you... If you don't go to that mission." Ino said hopefully.
"Thats too troublesome Ino, it is really important mission."
"There will be others."
"Why do you care so much about this?" He asked, giving up on focusing on how important the mission is.
"What do you mean why I care?" She asked, with the tune of anger rising.
"You never care about anyone else beside Sasuke before, why change now?You wouldn't even know what color my eyes are if I ask you- right?" Shikamaru moved to close her eyes before she could say anyhing.
Ino was now angry. Why was Shikamaru, her best -friend, acting like that all of a sudden. She snapped at him.
"What the hell are you saying Shikamaru!"
"Just say what color my eyes are.."
"Black!" She snapped at him just to make him let go of her.. The affect, however was not something Ino wished to be like. Before she could do anything..
He was gone.
Shikamaru was gone.
And he was bothered to no end.
First she was acting to show how much she cares. To stop him for going... He never understood but he thought, maybe, just maybe, she forgot and maybe she liked me back.. Like I loved her since...
But he was wrong.
Well, he thought he was wrong.
But who could blame him, if the girl of his dreams didn't even know the color of his eyes, how could he be not sad...
/The next day/
:6 days left:
Shikamaru was laying on the grass, watching the clouds.. Well not exactly watching, his eyes were gazing in the sky but his mind was elsewhere..
"Brown..."
He heard a voice, cracking and soft. He recognized her voice, she had been crying for a long time and she was standing right next to him before she sat down..
"What?"
"Your eyes...Not black..Brown..I knew that..."
"Ino..."
"Shut up and listen me for a while."
After she gots his attention she continued.
"When you..said..I don't even..care, you were wrong. Just because I talk a lot about Sasuke doesn't mean that I don't care about you and Choji...I know everything about you Shika, and I mean everything. Not just your date of birth or special jutsus. From the meaning of your name from the secrets of your clan, to your dreams and thoughts..So don't you dare to say I don't care about you because now it turned out the otherwise... You keep blaming me for my love for Sasuke, well obviously you- yourself- did not know anything about love. Because if you did- you would have noticed..."
"Noticed what?..." he asked softly.
"Me..You would have noticed me..."
"Ino.."
"You would have noticed that I was long ago gave up from Sasuke, for his eyes only for Sakura now, he can't even notice me. And now, I don't really care. Because I realized that my love was only a game for me, to keep my mind away from other things.. I gave up my love a long while ago...So don't you dare to say I don't care anyone but Sasuke because, I care about everyone BUT Sasuke.And I care about you the most...That is why I don't want you to go to that mission. Because if you go, I will never be able to see you.. Don't ask me how I know that but I know..And I'm sure.. So please don't go..."
"Ino I have to.."
She looked at him and stand up before shouting at him...
"WHO'S FORCING YOU SHIKA!"
"Ino..."
"JUST..." She stopped a while and gazed in his eyes softly. "Just.." she softened her voice.
"Just go then... If you don't care about anyone, even yourself.. But if you care 'even a little', you will stay..." With that, she left...
She left without thinking how confused Shikamaru she left behind on the grass... Even someone who has IQ over 200 would be confused by the 'speak' of future which is 'normally' unpredictable.. Death? No, ofcourse not.. She is just scared because...
Because what? You had been in A rank missions before, she never acted that way..-
Yeah..Ah, it's too troublesome to even talk with my mind..
You are boring.-
Hmm.. Even his mind thought he was boring... He layed down to watch the clouds away, wanting to run away from the thoughts include Ino. Which he miserably failed. What was she saying to him, that if he knew anything about love he would have noticed her? He already noticed her. He noticed her, way back before she noticed Sasuke.
/10+ years before/
"Morning Shika."
His best friend said while he walked up to him. As usual, the lazy kid was laying on the grass having his gaze up in the sky.
"Morning Choji."
The plot was not for them only, not too far away from them there was a group of childs playing some game. Shika noticed the loudest girl in them, who had short blonde hair and wearing a dress with flower pattern. Who apperantly was bored with the football game the boys played and collecting flowers into a bouquet.
Who was now walking at them.
"Hey! Come play with me."
She told them in a bossy tone with a smile.She referred to them both and was suprised that they weren't charmed by her adorable looks and coolness like other kids did.
"No we're fine this way." Shikamaru answered, not even looking at her once. He knew Choji would be ignored by other kids, he usually did and it disturbed Shikamaru so much. He didn't liked to play games anyway, he liked Choji's company only. The others seemed so troublesome.
Apperantly, so was this girl.
"What? Don't tell me you are actually having fun, watching the sky." She put her hands on her waist, looking at him.
And received not even a glare.
"Actually I am."
Ino's head dropped slightly bit at her right as she looked like she absolutely had no idea. She sat down next to him and looked up as he did to see what was so interesting. Seeing nothing, she looked back at him.
"Really? I don't see anything interesting there."
This captured his interest and he looked at her, only to meet eyes which was bright as the sky itself. Softly blushing, he looked back at his precious clouds.
"Well I do."
Getting bit angry she standed up, putting her feet down.
"You two will come play with me."
Choji laughed softly. He didn't interfere because he was actually wondering if this girl could talk Shikamaru out of cloud-watching, when even his mother couldn't. And Choji knew how frightening Shikamaru's mother could be when she was angry.
Shikamaru, on the other hand, raised his eyebrows and looked at her. She was really loud. But something else get his attention. She said 'two'..'you two'. So unlike other kids who only called him and left Choji out of the case. He took a deep sigh.
Hearing his sigh Ino gave up. Well, not really, she just took another strategy.
"Fine if you don't then, maybe you will."
She turned her attention to Choji, who was having a 'just a little bit' shock. This, cute girl, was asking HIM to join?Well, that was first in his life, not that he lived so long but no one had actually called him to join their games. He was actually ignored by most of them.
"Sure." Well, usually he wouldn't do something like that but he noticed something most of the kids wouldn't. The blush on Shikamaru's face when he saw the girl. Choji knew right then, that his best friend liked this loud and bossy girl.
Ino clapped her hands and let out a happy laughing voice.
"Great! Now, you will be -"
Soon, both of the boys was dragging by this girl who talked mostly and it didn't matter if they complained or not. She had the power to make them do whatever she wanted to do. Just because Shika was so lazy to protest and Choji just liked her company. And, suprisingly, they spent whole day without knowing each others name.
When the 'play-time' is over and their parents came to take them- which was when the team InoShikaCho met once more to see their kids already met with each other, they noticed they didn't knew each others name.
Ino looked at them and smiled sweetly.
"It was nice playing with you guys. And..Oh..I'm Ino."
"Choji."
"Shikamaru."
Without they even realize she hugged them both and ran up after she said;
"Thanks for playing with me, see you tomorrow."
Oh no... Was the first thought of Shikamaru's... But outside, he was smiling. Soon, the three of them become very best friends among all of the Konoha Village.
Ino never changed in years and so did Shikamaru and Choji. Sure, they had some fights but it was never that important. Shikamaru always remembered her scent when she hugged him. She smelled like, flowers. Ofcourse, he was too lazy to read his own feelings, to tell him what certain things he was feeling for this girl. But deep down, he already knew.
/Now/
Nara Shikamaru sighed and muttered something resembles 'How troublesome' before getting up and heading to his own house. His mother asked him to bring, oh what was that...
"Great.."
And he walked to his home, hands in his pockets, using his genious mind to find reasons to his mother because he forgot the list at home of what she wanted him to brought. This, was no less dangerous than that mission...Which Ino cared very much.. Which, from what she said, he would die in.
"SHIKAMARUUU!"
The very silent and peaceful village, Konoha, had heard the yell coming from the Nara residence.
Ino thought she heard his name and looked out from her window, seeing the birds flying from their former position on the branch of a tree. She smiled softly and sighed..
"Shikamaru..." His name was a whisper on her lips.
His name was letters on the paper.
/The next day/
:5 days left:
Shikamaru woke up with the mean rays of the sun, running in his eyes. Muttering some words he heard his mother yelling.
"SHIKAMARUU! I'M GOING TO SAY THIS ONLY ONCE MORE: WAKE-UP-NOW!"
Shikamaru remembered his mother waking him up like 24 times before...
How troublesome...
"Alright Alright, I'm up.." He said in a voice which was loud from his normal tone to let his mother hear him waking up. When he got dressed and needed some cold water to open his eyes he walked to the kitchen, where he would have his breakfast.
"FINALLY!" His mother exclaimed in an angry way.
"Why don't you think of sleeping earlier so you could get up before noon Shikamaru?"
He rolled his eyes before reaching to an apple.
"Oh before that..." She said, handing him a letter. "This came today, for you.."
----------------------------------------------------------------
A/n: Okay..actually I meant it to be a one-shot but I kinda went into a writers block on this so there's gonna be two chapters I believe..-
Drop a review will you :) I welcome ideas very much...