Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Naruto Shippuden, or any of the characters depicted or named in this chapter.
A hazy smoke filled the lungs of Shikamaru. No amount of coughing could quite get the explosive laced air out of his lungs. It was all a blur. Slowly he began to pierce together his memory of the past few hours.
"How long do you think the mission will take, Colonel Hakomo?" The Nara asked as he lazily looked out the window, day-dreaming about his friends and home.
"As long as it takes." The Colonel replied with his ongoing serious demeanor, until he bursted into laughter. "I'm sorry; I just play the role of the hard-ass a lot. Can't really give you a timetable, remember we are forces of the Shinobi Alliance, we're here for diplomatic reasons, to say 'we're here and we care about this rebellion.' Hopefully this will be resolved quickly and we can all go home."
"Same here. I really would like to go home also."
"You got a family back home?"
"Well…I mean both my parents are gone. Mostly friends, and a girl as well." He said while looking up, exposing a shade of red in cheeks. He didn't know if had blushed at the thought that he finally reached peace with the death of his parents , or if it was Ino.
"It's always a girl is it not?" Hakomo said with a chuckle and a pat on the back. "I got a family back home in Suna. Well, in the process. My wife's expecting sometime next month."
"Congratulations."
"Thank you. Do you drink tea?"
"Tea? Not really. I never had an acquired taste for it."
"Same here, but I learned to appreciate it. My wife got me into it not too long ago." He had produced a picture. It was him and his wife smiling with a waterfall in the back.
"Vacation?"
"Yes, that picture was taken during our honeymoon."
"She's beautiful." Said Shikamaru as he studied the smiles on their faces. "I got a picture too." He reached into his pocket and showed his Colonel the photo all the teams took at the celebratory post-war bash.
"Nice group of friends. I remember my young days." He gazed into the photo one more time. "Wait a second? Isn't that Naruto Uzumaki? And the Uchiha?"
"Yes. The strongest shinobi I have seen. Naruto really grew up and saved us all, didn't he?"
"He was immature?"
"You should have seen it when he was little, he went around the whole village causing trouble, and we're close friends."
Hakomo was still deciphering the photo, amazed that he knew them.
"And you're a Nara right?"
He nodded.
"You're father served as a strategist for the kages?"
"Yes, sir. He was a gifted tactician; I only hope I can become as good as him one day."
"Well that's why you're here, aren't you?"
A smile grew on the Nara's face.
"So the legendary Shika-Ino,-Cho. Pretty interesting."
"Yeah you can say that. They're my closest friends." He pointed them out in the photo. "I think I have another one, just the three of us. " Showing him a goofy photo they took at a photo booth during the party.
The photo brought amusement to both as they started laughing. "I was referring to your fathers, but you guys are the next generation."
"Yeah, we're all on a little break granted by our hokage, so none of us are really doing any high level missions at the moment." Shikamaru had his eyes fixed on the photo. He had an unconscious happiness as he saw Ino's laughing face in the photo. She was wearing tackily large glasses, with a Hawaiian floral necklace with her arms wrapped around her childhood friends.
"So she's the girl? She's very pretty." A smiling Hakomo had caught him looking at the photo for a while.
He nodded in embarrassment. "She's troublesome."
The colonel stood up and walked to the back of the vehicle, returning shortly after with another glass. He handed it to his Lieutenant and proposed a toast.
"To our friends and our loved one's back home." Their glasses clinked.
Shikamaru leaned back into his chair and silently recalled the Shinobi Post-War bash.
It was a cool, dry night. Many of the vendors were pouring free rounds on the house. It was more of a street festival than of an actual bash but that didn't stop anyone from dancing on a makeshift floor. Shikamaru had just finished arriving and wore a simple white dress shirt, and black pants. He began to search for his best friend, whom he found waiting in line for a pork kebab.
"Hey Choji! I've been looking everywhere for you! So many damn people here, I thought I was never going to find anyone."
"S-Shikamaru! I really can't hear you too well right now. Do you want to see the others?" The crowd and music began to overtake everyone's ears.
"Sure! Just let me find Temari, and I'll see you. Stay right here."
A brief time passed and Shikamaru found the girl he had been courting for a while now.
"Shall we go?" He said, smiling to have the Suna blonde next to him.
The three began to take in all the sights, tastes, and events, of that particular evening. Choji also happened to catch Temari rest her head on his friend's shoulders. Choji had received a phone call and left them alone for a minute.
"Are you enjoying yourself?" He asked.
"Of course! This is a great moment in our lives! And everyone is here enjoying themselves. What a night!"
"It's even better when you-"
Choji had returned from his phone call with intriguing news. "Naruto and everyone else are having dinner at the ramen shop. He invited all of us, do you want to go?"
"Sure!" Temari said excitedly.
"You heard her." The pineapple haired man said.
They proceeded to walk towards a packed ramen house, with customers eating both inside and outside. They soon saw their friends, and joined them at the already large table.
"Did you guys order already?" Asked Choji.
"No we haven't ." Replied Sakura
A few minutes later Ino had made her way to the table.
"Ino? I didn't know you were here." Said Choji.
"Choji! Shikamaru!" She yelled out and hugged them. She gave an awkward smile to Temari, not that they disliked each other; she just didn't know her too well.
"Where were you?" Asked Shikamaru.
"I was in the ladies room."
"Ahhhh."
The dinner went along with smiles, jokes, and memories. For that one moment, everyone had forgotten about the losses they suffered during the war, forgotten about any rivalries, even forgot what Sauske did, for a moment.
"Well what are you guys going to do before the night ends?" Asked a stuffed Naruto.
"I think I'm going to call it a night. I ate too much." Said Choji.
"That's a shocker." Said Shikamaru.
"I'm going to call it a night also." Said Temari, as she stood up and planted a kiss on his cheek and left.
"I'm going to walk around. Sakura, would you please accompany me?" Ino pleaded.
"Sorry. I would any other night, but I am beat. I'm fighting my body at this point to stay up."
"What about you Naruto?" Ino asked again, showcasing her big blue eyes.
"Nope. Me and Sauske are going to accompany to Sakura back home."
"I'll go with you. I can't leave you alone by yourself at night." Said Shikamaru with a gaze that wouldn't take "no" for an answer.
"You think Temari will be fine with it?"
"Of course she will. She knows you."
"Ok."
The two had exchanged goodbyes with their friends who were still at the table and proceeded to walk the streets.
"So can I ask why are you walking at night? The whole town is deserted! This is how you get in trouble! At this time no one but the pervs and freaks come out, you're so damn troublesome you know that?"
"I know. You always tell me that." She said giggling. "I wanted to show you guys something tonight, but Choji left home."
"We can still go right now if you want. I'll still act surprised for him." He said smiling and closing the gap their bodies made while walking.
The only the thing that was still visible at that hour was the endless trail of multicolored confetti that littered the streets, along with a few light posts. Before long they had walked to the training grounds.
"Why are you taking me to the training grounds at this hour?" He asked not realizing she had evaded his detection and went off into the forest. He sighed and mumbled "troublesome".
"Ino, where are you?"
"I'm over here!" The blonde called out deep within the forest.
"What are you doing?"
"You'll see. Just be patient." Shikamaru heard her rustle around the bushes and ground.
After a few minutes Ino walked out with an exotic bouquet of different flowers. Shikamaru thought for a second that her eyes appeared watery but she turned away suddenly.
"Follow me." She said while reaching out her hand.
Shikamru grabbed it and let himself be dragged along by her. He was wondering why in the world would she lead him here of all places. They soon made it to an empty field where a lone tree was the only thing in sight.
"Do you have a lighter on you?"
"Nope. I stopped smoking. Temari said it was really detrimental to my health."
She rolled her eyes and mumbled to herself "Not like I haven't been telling you that."
"Did you say something?"
"Nope! I just think you're lying." Replying triumphantly while sticking her tongue out.
"Fine, don't tell Temari, ok?" He said before pulling out his lighter.
Ino grabbed it and lowered herself next to the tree.
"Close your eyes."
He obliged.
"Now open them."
A small gasp slipped out of his mouth. Looking at Ino, a sense of solace had overtaken his mood. He walked towards the tree and bent down. His eyes met his fathers, then Inoichi's. He was face to face with both of them. Taking a step back he saw the bouquet Ino had collected next to a candle. Without realizing it he began to cry. The kunoichi had ran over to comfort him.
"I'm sorry, I thought you were ready to see it. I didn't mean to-"
Shikamaru had cut off her words with a tight embrace.
"Thank you." He whispered.
He bent down one last time and looked at his father. "I'm going to make you proud." He left his lighter as a token.
"Thank you again, Ino."
"I really didn't mean for this to happen." She sniffled.
"Shh." Wiping away her oncoming tears.
"Things are never going to be the same now."
"Let's just enjoy tonight, right now. I'm glad I'm spending it with a loved one."
She smiled and went back to bury her head in his chest in another tight embrace.
"Shikamaru? Shikamaru!" Hakomo was about to splash water in the day-dreamer's face.
"I'm awake! I'm awake!" breathing heavily, he took a look at his superior. "I apologize, what were you asking me?"
"A smoke? Would you like to step outside and smoke?" The colonel said while pulling out a golden lighter. He noticed his lieutenant admiring it and unexpectedly tossed it to him. "Nice reflexes."
"Wow. Look at that craftsmanship. It even has the Suna emblem engraved on it."
"Yup, just one of the few gifts you get for rising through the ranks and passing your leadership exam. Keep it."
"I thank you for this wonderful gift, but I don't smoke. My girlfriend said it's troublesome for my health." He said while tossing it back to Hakomo.
"Very well then. I will be outside having a smoke; you're free to join me."
"Thank you."
The colonel left the small room and closed the door.
Shikamaru closed his eyes and smiled. Taking full advantage of the silence and comfort, he began to doze off, looking at the rolling plains in front of him, they soothed him to sleep.
A few hours later he was awoken by a blaring siren
"What the hell is going on?!"
He had returned back to consciousness at possibly the worst time, the last thing he recalled was a harrowing scream coming from the outside followed by explosions.
Then it went black.
A/N: Hey guys! I just want to give a big thank you to all of you who have favorited/followed the story, it means a lot to me. I also would like to thank and welcome all the first time readers who are currently reading "Life: The Ticking Clock", ever since this story has come online, views for that story have been piling up, and I look forward to all the readers catching up to this point. As always feel free to leave a review! Thanks.