Disclaimer: I own all rights to Naruto, why else would I be writing this? So don't copy and I won't sue.
Over the following month Shikamaru found himself back to doing gruntwork as a Genin. Being one of the few people to have made Chuunin within less then year from graduating (in fact the only person he knew that accomplished this beside himself was Yamato-taisho) he wasn't used to it. The expression that one expects to see on the average Genin's face when they find out what a Genin was all about (getting the most insignificant and troublesome jobs pushed off on) thus came natural to him.
The fact that more often then not they had to do it in half the time because someone was late, every single time, did nothing to lighten his mood. Kakashi often found himself wondering which of his Genin hated him more, Ino who seemed to have taken an innate disliking to him and all his characteristics, Sasuke who found Kakashi breaking every idea he had about what a Jounin was a suppose to act like (save perhaps on the battlefield but save from training sessions this was a non-factor) or Shikamaru who was barely willing to carry his own weight, much less compensate for somebody else.
"NOOOO!!!!! I wanna go on a real mission!" Naruto exclaimed as the Third was conveying the available missions to his son's team. "Not this stupid kid stuff! C'mon, old man."
Ino glared at the other blonde from the corner from where they were waiting. They couldn't exactly receive their mission until Kakashi got there and as a result they had been stuck here watching one team go in and out. Her temper was declining with every minute. "Tch, the kid thinks he's got it bad?" Shikamaru groaned as he had put Sasuke in a imminent checkmate. He spotted three ways out but he wasn't about to help him. "You say something, lazyass?!" Naruto cocked his head in their direction ready to blow off some steam on them. Shikamaru mumbled something about Naruto not being worth it getting into a discussion with. Hinata was already busy making excuses on Shikamaru's behalf, Sakura and Asuma didn't seem willing to get involved in the argument. "umm, I'm sure Shikamaru-kun wasn't trying to make you feel bad Naruto." "Yeah well, he better say he's sorry or I'm gonna have to mess him up!" Naruto talked big but it seemed Hinata would be successful in getting him to stand down until...
"I'm not entirely sure why you are so eager for more important missions, dobe. It's obvious to anyone that you aren't ready." Sasuke was irritated enough by losing a strategy game to Shikamaru, he wasn't about to force himself listen to Naruto's complaints. "What?!" Naruto was already rolling up his sleeves while Sasuke got on his feet when Iruka intervened. "HOW DARE YOU ALL START AN ARGUMENT LIKE THIS IN FRONT OF LORD HOKAGE! SHOW SOME RESPECT! I WOULD HAVE HOPED AS GENIN YOU WOULD COMPOSE YOURSELF AS ADULTS BUT..." Iruka seemed like he was ready to keep ranting well into next week when the Hokage himself spoke.
"Alright then. If you are all so fed up with you current duties then perhaps it's we see if you are ready for your first C-mission." The room quieted down as the various Genin were trying to figure out who he was talking to. Shikamaru's expression darkened as he had come to understand just what had just happened. "Asuma, you will lead both Genin teams on the following assignment, you will escort Tazuna-san to his village in the Land of the Waves, he is chief bridgebuilder there and requires protection." Sandaime was already holding up the missionscroll. "I'll assign Kakashi-san a different mission when he gets here." Whatever else the two Sarutobis said was unhearable as this started a loud argument under the Genin. "Alright Sasuke-teme, Shikamaru-teme, if you guys are gonna tag along with us then here are the groundrules. " Faceplant. "NARUTO, SHUT UP! Sasuke-kun, now that we have our first miss-"
Shikamaru sighed, he had had no other choice then to pray that some experienced team would draw this mission. Fate wasn't with him. He didn't know much about Zabuza Momochi (his entry from the Bingo-book had been scrapped by the time he got himself one) but he had known Kisame and Naruto and Sakura had spoken of him. He would hardpressed if he was going to life through this with his identity intact.
The assembled platoon set out and from the get-go Tazuna had doubts about them, pointman was the Uchiha who seemed to take things seriously, he was flanked by those two loud girls who were either trying to get his attention, fighting with each other or berating blond kid.
The blonde kid seemed immensely irritated by the scene in front of him and was trying to draw attention to himself by speaking animatedly to the quiet girl. The quiet girl seemed like she was trying not to make sudden moves as though she feared she was on the brink of nosebleed or something like that.
The Jounin was walking behind him, puffing out a seemingly endless supply of cigarettes, his entire composure screaming that he liked to kick back and take things easy. The rear was finally brought up by the boy with pineapple hairdoe. With his head in his hands and looking up at the clouds above it didn't seem to him that he was a very sharp lookout.
A/N: I guess this is as good a place as any to stop, huh. Next week will be dealing with Zabuza. Because I'm not very fond Zabuza or Haku don't expect this arc to last very long. Though I'm probably still gonna let them live though. Be sure to go to my profile and vote on the poll after reading this message.