Awesomeness!

I wanna thank: nine-orcids, Dawnstar95, EmoPrincess21, Haylin-chan, Nekomimi XD, machi-tan, Sasusaku, u987. For reviewing.

I hope i didn't take long this time, cuz there is a scary carrot on my head.

Disclaimer: I dont own naruto...wish I did though.....:(

Okay enjoy! C:

It has been exactly one week since the beach incident, and Ino had been training with Harume when she was not watching Sasuke and his team. And when Harume was, Ino took the chance to meditate on focusing on her growing chakra. It's sad to say that Ino missed Kiba. He was on a two week mission with his team, and wont be back in 11 days.

Ino sat by the waterfall meditating since Harume is in the Hokage's office. She waited for Harume for about ten minutes. She heard a poof, she opened her eyes and saw Harume. Ino stood up and walked towards her.

"Tsunade-sama wants to see you for a mission."

"Okay. I'll be there right away."

Harume nodded and poofed away. Ino jumped from tree to tree, and building to building, and house to house. She arrived at the Hokage Tower, and walked up the stairs.

When she arrived at the door, she knocked.

"Come in." She heard Tsunade say. Ino opened the door, but glared at the person in there.

Shikamaru was also in the room.

Tsunade saw this and raised a brow. Well Harume did not lie about them hating each other. She saw Ino move as far away from Shikamaru as she could, well more like a few feet away from him, and him to her.

Tsunade sighed, might as well start. "I called you both here today because i have recieved word from the Land of Water that an important scroll was stole from the royal palace. I want you both to go to the royal palace and get information on the person who stole the scroll, go after them, and return the scroll to the prince. Is that clear?"

"Hai." They said in unison.

"Good. You leave in one hour."

The two left the hokage's office to get all thier things together for the trip.

(With Ino)

Ino furiously shoved her belongings in her backpack. Out of the people she had to go on a mission with that senseless jerk Shikamaru! Alone! Seriously! Why not someone else!? Ino went into her closet and grabbed her dark blue sleeping bag, she wouldn't need a tent, that would just take to much time, plus it was nice to sleep under the stars.

Ino put the things she needed into her pack. Since she was wearing her old ninja uniform, she walked into her closet and grabbed her new outfit.

After she did, she made sure she had the things she needed, and then left. Ino still had plenty of time left, so she decided to visit some old place.

(With Shikamaru.)

Shikamaru calmly put his things in his own backpack. This was the perfect chance for him to get Ino back into his life. As he put his belongings in his pack, he thought of what he should say to Ino when they are traveling together.

When he finished putting things away, Shikamaru saw the time and had enough time to do something before he met up with Ino. He decided to go visit Chouji for some advice since Chouji did tell him that if he ever needed help with getting Ino back, he was to go talk to him.

--

Ino walked through the academy where she was rivals with Sakura, well, guess she still is. Ino sat in the old swing sets and thought back to the days when she here. She thought back on how she would always wanted to get Sasuke's attention, wanting him to go out with her, trying to look prettier than Sakura, fighting with other girls that wanted Sasuke.

She thought of the times when she would be around Shikamaru and Chouji, and would always tell them not to eat so much and stop being so damn lazy.

Ino smiled as remembered her younger days.

She got up from the swing and walked away from the academy. She wanted to visit two more places before she left, she walked down the path towards the old Team 10 training grounds.

--

Shikamaru arrived at his best friends house, he walked over to the step and knocked on the door. The door opened and revealed Chouji's father.

"Hello Shikamaru. Here to see Chouji?"

"Hi Akimichi-san. And yeah actually, is Chouji here?"

"Yes he is in his room. Go right ahead."

"Arigato."

Shikamaru walked up the stairs, and down the hall to the right, and came right infront of Chouji's room door. He suddenly became nervous for some strange reason, and he didn't know why. He lifted his hand and knocked. He heard a 'come in' from inside. He opened the door and saw Chouji with bags of chips and a few scrolls laying around. He walked in and closed the door behind him.

"Hey Shikamaru! Wha'cha doing here?"

"Hey Chouji, I need to talk to you."

"About?"

"Ino."

"Okay then, let's here it."

"Alright. I have a mission with Ino in about 40 minutes, and have no idea what or when I should say anything to her. I need help."

--

Ino sat on the green grass and stared around the old Team 10 training grounds. She thought back when Asuma would train her and the boys, telling them to focus on their chakra. She also remembered when he would treat them to eat.

She looked up at the clouds and just remebered her adventures.

After awhile, Ino got up and walked towards her last visit.

About five minutes later, she arrived to her final visit. She stared down sadly but smiled a sad smile. "Hi Asuma-sensei. Its been awhile hasn't it?" She stared down at her sensei's grave. "I'm sorry I didn't bring any flowers, but I promise i'll bring some after my mission."

She stayed quiet for about a minute. "I wish you were still alive Sensei, I need help with Shikamaru, and I no he hates me, thinks I'm weak and useless. Sometimes I agree, sometimes I get mad at him.... But I could never hate him, no matter how much I want to... I can't, because.... I love him and I hate myself for loving him. I watch him love someone else, and it always hurts to see him with her, but sometimes I wish I am the one he loves... And I still do.... . Just last week I made a wish from a shooting star, and my wish is... To be back into Shikamaru's life." She stayed silent for awhile and spoke again. "I wish you could give me advice Sensei, you always gave good advice... I'll see you next time Asuma-sensei, I have to leave for my mission."

Ino slowly walked away from his grave, and walked towards the gate of Konoha to meet up with Shikamaru.

--

The door opened and Shikamaru walked out. "Thanks again Chouji."

"No problem." Chouji said and closed the door to his house. Shikamaru walked towards the gate of Konoha to meet up with Ino.

When he arrived, he saw Ino staring up into the clouds with the look of... Hope? Now what could she hope for? Shikamaru thought as he walked closer to her. Ino heard footsteps coming her way, she looked away from the sky and saw Shikamaru coming towards her. She glared at him and looked away, she knew she would need to listen to him since he would be the one thinking of strategies, but that didn't mean she had to listen him.

"Let's get going." Shikamaru said as he walked past Ino. Ino reluctently followed after him. They both jumped from tree to tree, getting as far as they could to get near the Land of Water. It had been silent between the two as they traveled away from home.

(Few Hours Later.)

The sun had set, and Shikamaru and Ino were one day to the Land of Water. They stopped their tracks and unpacked the necessary items they needed. They both unpacked their sleeping bags and food.

Shikamaru started the fire, and Ino cooked the food. Both in silence. Shikamaru would often sneak looks at Ino, but just saw her staring at the stars.

Ino stared at the stars as she at, she was think about how the mission would go and how difficult it would be. Tsunade sisn't say what rank it was, she just told them that they needed to return an important scroll to the prince at the royal palace of Water.

A few minutes later, Shikamaru and Ino went into their sleeping bags and slept, they didn't need to watch the night, since they were on safe land. Both went into a dreamless slumber.

--

Ino woke to the rising sun. She lazily got out of her sleeping bag and streched her limbs. She she kneeled down to grab her bag and took out a water bottle. She swallowed down the liquid in her dry mouth, she capped the bottle and grabbed some bread in her pack. She held the in her mouth and rolled her sleeping bag. After she placed it inside her backpack, she chewed on her bread. She looked over the still rising sun, and admired its beauty before she would have to look away and start traveling again.

She heard some suffling noises not far from her, guess Shikamaru was waking up now.

When Shikamaru woke up, he saw Ino sitting on the floor, staring at the sun rise. He got out of his sleeping bag, rolled it up and put it in his backpack. He also took out some food of his own.

After a few minutes later, they both left off to the Royal Palace. As they traveled, they also stayed silent. Even though they did not talk, the tension between them was still there, and they both didn't want to talk about anything.

--

By the time it was around 10 Pm, Ino and Shikamaru arrived in the Land of Water. They walked by the village gate, and were greeted by two shinobi.

"Are you the Konoha shinobi Tsunade-sama sent?" The first shinobi said.

"We are." Shikamaru replied.

"Then please follow us, the prince awaits your arrival!" The second Shinobi said. All four of them jumped from the houses and quickly arrived at the Royal Palace. The guards let them through, and they ran to the throne room. The two shinobi opened the large door, and told Ino and Shikamaru to walk inside.

They did as they were told, and when they were half way in the throne room, they heard young man's voice. "Ah myy fellow Konoha Shinobi. Welcome." Shikamaru and Ino turned to see a young and quite handsome prince, who only looked like he was eighteen. He dark brown hair and beautiful forest green eyes.

"My name is Akumara Shinji." The prince said as he held out his hand.

"I am Nara Shikamaru." He replied and shook the prince's hand.

The prince turned to Ino. "And you are young lady?"

"Yamanaka Ino, Prince Shinji." She bowed.

"Well pleased to meet you both. Now I have the information on the person who stole one of my father's important scroll. I want to tell you more, but you both look tired from traveling all the way here. I'll have some one escort you to your rooms, and we can speak the first thing in the morning. Is that fair?"

"Hai." The two replied. Two maids came into the throne room and escorted Ino and Shikamaru.

"Have a pleasant night. I'll see you two in the morning." The prince said, and walked out of the throne room and into his room. He closed the large doors of his room, and stared at nothing.

"That young female Ino... She is a beauty." He said and smiled. 'Perhaps I can make her my queen when I become king of the throne.' He thought. But he is not that kind of man, if she refused, then that was okay with him, but then again, that doesn't mean he can't try and make her his queen.

TO BE CONTINUED.

Yayz! I finished!

I hope i didn't take long because I REALLY have a scary carrot on my head!!! IT WON'T AWAY!!!! NO MATTER WHAT I DO!!!!!!! GAH!!......

.....I Live! ^^

PLZ Review!!