Shikamaru

I strode towards the Konoha headquarters to meet with Tsunade-sama. She requested me to come on Friday afternoon to talk about some matters. I was already late, but I figured she wouldn't mind as I was always late.

I felt truly happy and excited because of what has been going on between me and Temari lately. I couldn't shake the smirk away from my face, and whoever saw me in the street would probably be surprised to see me smiling. Usually there was a bored expression on my face, but now I felt anyhow but bored. I was filled with energy, active, motivated, willing to do something instead of lazily doing nothing.

I wanted to make some surprise for Temari, but I couldn't think of what should I do. Buy her a chocolate? But that's quite cheezy. Flowers? I know she likes them, but where could I buy that? I'm definitely not going to Ino parents flower shop. What else… Clothes, lingerie? That's too early. But thinking about putting her into underwear of my choosing sounded tasty.

I ended up in front of Hokage tower faster than usual; the daydreaming helped a lot.

- Hey Shikamaru. Having a good day? – Tsunade noticed the change in me. I couldn't really hide it.

- Quite good, thanks. – I nodded slightly.

- Well I'm sorry to inform you but I have a mission for you. I wasn't planning to give you any since you're working at academy and helping out Temari right now, but this one is a mission requiring your mind specifically as you are going to have to break a code.

- Okay… Can you tell me more specifics?

- First of all, it must be a decoy mission. Hidden village of Hot water is having a masquerade ball for some occasion but we were informed that it is actually a secret meeting of some new organization of the Sound village, planning to kill the leaders of Hidden village of the Frost. They were the ones who asked for some help. They said they received some information that during the ball the enemies are going to plan the attack. The problem is that the group developed a new, coded language. You have to go there as a guest from Land of Fire, but no one can know that you're a ninja from Konoha. I expect you to find out the members of the enemy group, identify them if possible, decode their language and learn everything about their plans. The invitation is for two, so I suggest you pick a female ninja to accompany you. I suspect there might be a possibility for a girl to infiltrate more easily. It might help you in gaining some information. I would suggest Ino as she has proven to be very successful in the missions of this kind, but knowing how savagely you two refuse to do missions, I leave the decision for yourself. If your choice will not prove to be effective, you will have to take blame for two. You must leave on Tuesday. Have I made myself clear?

Tsunade was not happy about my issues with Ino and she probably thought she's giving me a lesson with such warnings, but this time she did me a favor by letting me choose.

- Yes, perfectly clear.

- Good. I expect of you to have made a choice of your companion by now. Am I right?

- Yes. I choose Temari.

- Temari? – she looked at me surprised.

- Temari. – I crossed my hands in front of my chest. I was not going to withdraw my decision.

- Temari is not our ninja, I cannot appoint a mission to her. She's here on her own free will and I could not arrange the permit for her to miss her lessons. Besides there is no physical need for Konoha to hire a ninja from other village, so I could not arrange a payment as big as we usually provide for our borrowed ninjas.

- And if she agrees? – I had a determined expression on my face and Tsunade lifted one eyebrow, analyzing me.

- She will be responsible all by herself if she misses her lessons and the payment she would get will be precisely like yours and not as big as we usually pay when we employ foreign ninjas.

- Ok, everything's clear. If I don't report differently in two hours, you can start arranging everything for me and Temari to go on a mission.

- Okay. Goodbye, Shikamaru.

- Goodbye, Tsunade-sama. And thank you. – I nodded, giving her a small smile. She narrowed her eyes, but smiled back.

I came back home, having completely forgotten about a plan to buy Temari a present, as I was so excited to announce her this new mission. I really hoped she would accept. I was looking forward for it. I actually missed travelling a little and having her as my companion would be a nice adventure.

I knocked on her door, but no one answered. Hm, I did not think she might have gone somewhere. A flaw in my plan. I left a note on her door, instructing to come talk to me ASAP when she comes back, and hoped she just went to the shop to buy some food.