It's Too Late
DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Naruto series, Konoha, Shikamaru, Ino, or anyone else involved or relating to Naruto.
Summary:
Ino Yamanaka is loud and annoying member of Team 10; which annoyed a certain lazy chunin to no end. But when the death of the Yamanaka's parents forces her to live with the Naras, and changes Ino's personality. There is no one he wanted more than that exact loud and annoying member.
Chapter 7: Murderous Ninja? A New Mission
Sakura left at around lunch time after her stay at the Nara house, who would of knew her stay would trigger something in Shikamaru's head, he had to contain his lust for Ino. How the hell could he manage that with the beautiful Yamanaka constantly around him, sleeping in his same room!?
"I suppose I should consider… some preparations for the funeral." Ino commented, the two sat at the Nara table, across from eachother, Ino leaning her head on her hand, as Shikamaru laid back in the seat looking at the roof.
He looked down at the girl, and nodded. "If you think it's time to do it… then do it."
Ino nodded. "I want mum and dad to be… like celebrated. I want it to be traditional, but the after party should be really positive...after party… is that what you'd call it?" The girl questioned.
Shikamaru merely shrugged.
"Flowers… would be easy to arrange. Yoshino is an amazing cook, she could cater the event… she really wanted to help. You and your father could spread the invitations. It'll be like a funeral, then a party! And a party like mum and dad wanted, with parental supervision, but it'll be all about them! And the fun times!" Ino said excitedly.
Shikamaru smiled. It did sound like a nice idea. And thinking about it really showed sparks in Ino's personality, she was so happy discussing it.
A knock on the door was heard, Ino standing up and wandering to the door opening it to reveal Shizune.
"Hokage would like to see you and Nara Shikamaru" The jounin said, an urgent look on her face.
"O-Okay. Shikamaru?" Ino glanced over her shoulder, the boy already standing, giving Ino a nod.
Tsunade gave the two the rundown of the mission. Basically, bandits had been terrorizing a wide area, even going as far to kill small villages. The aim was to interrogate and find the location of the head boss. As such it was a mission for Shikamaru to use his kage mane no jutsu then Ino to use Shintenshin no jutsu then pose as the ninja to find out useful information.
"You are under no obligation to go, however with the loss of Inoichi Yamanaka, you must know we ask you desperately." Tsunade informed.
Ino nodded. "I'm fine, I will do it."
"Ino…" Shikamaru whispered. "Are you sure this is smart?"
The blonde continued to look at Tsunade with determination.
"Very well then, Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara. This is an A rank mission, move out as soon as you can. The last location was a small village north of Konoha, so they are close. They wouldn't be stupid enough to strike Konoha, they are targeting small villages from The Land of Sea to here, we believe thay are linked. Regardless, move out."
The two nodded. "Yes Hokage."
Back at the Nara house, the two returned packing essential items.
"This is stupid, Ino." Shikamaru commented.
The blonde continued, placing items into a small pouch before changing into her normal purple ninja outfit. "Shikamaru, you didn't have to take it. You can be replaced."
"Why are you doing this, you should be just… resting."
"Resting for what? I'm fine… Mum and Dad wouldn't want me wallowing in self pity. I need to continue on for them, be daddy's little girl and fight for the Yamanaka clan. I don't see why I have to wait any longer, I am honestly fine and going strong."
Shikamaru frowned. "It's just…"
"I'm not taking no for an answer, Shikamaru. If you don't want to take this mission with me, don't."
"I'm in this mission." He replied coldly.
"Very well, then don't mention it again…" The blonde replied.
The two continued packing in silence, then leaving for Konoha gates, leaving a note for Shikamaru's family.
"You ready?" Ino asked with a smile.
"Guess so…" Shikamaru replied before the two dashed out into Konoha's forest.
"So… North for how long?" Shikamaru questioned.
"Well according to the last known area. It's about six hours north if we maintain this speed." Ino replied.
"They don't expect us so we don't need to worry too much about traps on the way, but I'm sure they'll be expecting Konoha ninja to arrive at the village they attacked, so be careful." Shikamaru warned.
"Ofcourse." Ino replied simply.
"Once we arrive there stay hidden, until we know it's definitely safe." Shikamaru continued.
"Right."
The trip was silent unlike the past couple of days, Shikamaru's resistance in response to the mission was unwelcome from Ino's side, as a result Ino pouted from the idea that he doesn't think she can handle a mission, and Shikamaru annoyed by the idea she accepted the mission itself!
They arrived at the site, silently crouching in the trees, glancing at the destroyed village.
"…They should have given us someone like Neji. It's really hard to tell if it's safe." Ino commented.
Shikamaru frowned as he glanced around the village, the blonde dashing into the village.
"Ino!" He hissed before following, Ino walking into the destroyed village, noticing the charred remains of houses, looking inside, corpses.
Ino let out a cough, covering her mouth with her hand as she backed away from the door, letting out another cough, bumping into Shikamaru as she backed away, she let out another couple of coughs which were closer to gags, as if she was heaving.
"Ino, you all right?" Shikamaru questioned as she dropped to her knees.
The boy crouching down trying to make eye contact with her, her blue eyes widened as they stared blankly at the dirt ground as she let out cough after cough, before dropping her head, letting out an echoing sound as she vomited.
"Ino. Are you sick or something?" Shikamaru questioned as he glanced to where Ino had walked into before reacting like these. Bodies?
"…My parents would have looked like that…" She said softly. "Just lifelessly lying there, their eyes blank like that… their lives just ended out of whim. It disgusts me. And the smell. The look of them… It's… horrible. People shouldn't be like that."
Shikamaru's sympathetic look disappeared. "Ino. You're a ninja; this is a day in the normal life of a ninja, get over it."
The boy looked up quickly, pulling a kunai out and swiping in the air, deflecting an oncoming kunai skilfully. "Shit."
"What's this then…" A male voice called out.
Shikamaru looked around trying to locate the voice. Not even being able to sense their chakras.
"Your already in my genjutsu."
The Nara quickly looked over at Ino who had not moved from shaking on the floor, watching the ground, tears rolling down her face now.
"Release." Shikamaru said as he touched Ino, releasing slight amount of chakra to release her from genjutsu.
The girl didn't move.
"What she saw was reality, that's her actual nature right now, she is under no genjutsu."
Shikamaru's eyes widened. Hearing the idea that he was under a genjutsu, he had thought, hoped that Ino was under the genjutsu hence her feelings and sadness was strung from the genjutsu she was under, but she wasn't under the genjutsu? So her depression she was in right now was true?... it pained Shikamaru slightly to hear it, although he had to focus on what was at hand!
"Why would you reveal that I'm under a genjutsu, it allows me to easily combat it." Shikamaru questioned.
"So why haven't you escaped?"
Shikamaru smirked, pulling a kunai from his pouch stabbing it strongly into his leg, as the world around him began warp, the genjutsu still in action, he felt his feet slowly pulling into the ground, till it hit up to his neck. He felt the sensation, the pressure, it felt so real.
The genjutsu released, Shikamaru had been pulled into the ground, an earth jutsu? Only his head was out of the ground.
He couldn't moved, he was trapped.
So the genjutsu was merely a cover while he pulled him into the ground, it would have been easy to escape the earth jutsu pulling him slowly into the ground had he not been under genjutsu… Damnit.
A lone ninja walked slowly up to Shikamaru, a kunai in hand. He wore a camouflage vest, and a headband with a Hidden Rain Village headband.
He raised the kunai to his mouth, licking the blade before he crouched down close to Shikamaru, placing it against Shikamaru's neck.
"It's funny, I thought this would use a bit more chakra, but the girl just crumbled. No need to waste chakra on her if she's like this anyways is there."
Shikamaru's eyebrows arched down. "And if she breaks out of it, you're done for."
"I'm looking for a fight to be honest." The ninja replied as he pushed the kunai against Shikamaru's skin. "I'm hoping this breaks her out of it."
Damnit Ino… Don't let him kill me.
Blood hit the ground, leaking from Shikmaru's neck, the ninja beginning to put a slice in Shikamaru's neck, before he was sent flying from a swift kick from Ino.
Shikamaru let out a cough, it was only a small cut in his neck, no real damage, if the ninja had cut for a second longer, it probably would of cut his airway.
"I'm really sorry I let him do that to you, Shikamaru." Ino said softly, tears still slid down her cheeks elegantly as she stood strongly in front of Shikamaru, it was hurting her to have to fight. But how could she be a ninja if she was afraid to see death? Or even possibly inflict it.
The ninja recovered from the kick with a smirk. "Awesome." He commented, he was loving the idea of a fight. "I'm going to slit your pretty neck, can't wait to taste your blood…"
Shikamaru noted the lack of confidence in Ino after those words, her body's composure changing as she took a step back, pulling an arm close to her heart.
"Don't let his trash talk affect you, Ino. Get me out of here." Shikamaru said as he struggled.
"How…?" Ino responded.
Ino glanced down noticing the ground around Shikamaru's body was glowing slight blue, with links leading to the ninja's hand.
"I've infused my chakra into the ground around you, only way you could do that is to take me on and disrupt my chakra. Wanna try?" He asked with a smile, he slowly pulled a kunai to his cheek making a small incision which leaked blood, sliding down his cheek, he wiped a finger across it placing the finger to his tongue.
"Not high quality like I believe yours will be…"
Ino bit hard on her lip. Don't let him freak you out, Ino. Don't let him. Just focus on it! Comeon! You can do it! , Her thoughts tried to spur her on, and with that she dashed at the ninja pulling a kunai as she attempted to slice him, the ninja blocking her attack with a kunai of his own.
She dashed back throwing the kunai which the ninja easily deflected as he dashed forward with a punch to Ino's stomach, which sent Ino sliding back, seemingly unphased by the attack, she pulled another kunai throwing it as she dashed forward, the ninja yet again deflecting the kunai, pulling out then stabbing at Ino as she came into range with her fist extended, he stabbed at her stomach, the girl's eyes widening as, before a puff of smoke and a tree branch replaced her, with that the ninja felt a kunai pull to his own neck.
"Now. We're going to do things my way, got it?" Ino breathed into his neck.
Ino tapped the ninja, her hand glowing blue as she released chakra into his network, disrupting the chakra releasing the chakra bonds around Shikamaru, who began to struggled about in the ground, then bursting out of the ground.
"What do you want?" The ninja replied, still maintaining his cocky sinister nature.
"Who did this?"
"Trust me honey. Whatever you could do to me is nothing compared to the superior… I won't sell out. It won't be long till someone returns here due to my delay regardless. So kill me, you won't make it out of here alive. I'd prefer to die here then sell out… and be in for endless torture." The ninja replied.
Ino looked up at Shikamaru. "You heard him, we've found our link."
Shikamaru nodded as he raised his hands making his trademark hand signal. "Kage mane no jutsu. Complete."
Ino took a couple of steps back. Stretching her hands out making her own trademark hand signal. "Shintenshin no jutsu."
The blondes body dropped as Shikamaru released his jutsu, wandering over to Ino's body, hauling it into his arms and looking over at the ninja who looked at Shikamaru.
"Quick, hide. I'll stand here and wait for the support ninja to arrive, then follow them to their base I assume." Ino replied.
Shikamaru nodded. "Sounds alright, I'll follow and back you up if necessary. Don't be afraid to release your jutsu to avoid any danger, please Ino."
Ino nodded within her new body. "Don't worry. I will."
Shikamaru dashed into the trees, as Ino stood around, she pulled a kunai out of the pouch, and collected the kunai in the area, throwing away the tree stump she used for her substation jutsu to hide the battle that took place, she held the the kunai to her cheek, sliding it up and down her skin softly without cutting, trying to maintain the psycho nature of the ninja, as to not seem out of character to the back up ninja.
Now it was time to wait.
I actually wrote this couple days ago, but was having some trouble yesterday, so was pushed to today. I have the next chapter all written out too so expect that soon!
Thanks alot for reading, be sure to review~
