Disclaimer: I Don't Own Naruto.
Author's Note: Is a slight AU, not an expert in Naruto or Japanese customs please forgive any stupid mistakes. Beta is welcome. Is written in second person…obviously. I know it doesn't suit many people but it's just my preference in writing. Chances are a lot of the 'ninja' stuff I write may be grossly inaccurate and apologise in advance but hey! It's an AU! So let it be…
Summary: AU: Once Upon A Time In A Place Humanity Forgot, In A Time No one Remembers, There Was a World Where The Tools Of War Were People Known Simply As …Shinobi. This is their story, and what it was they were fighting for.
Pairing: Shika/Ino
Reviews: Always welcome!

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It's suppose to be a great honour, you remember your father telling you; to be the elite of the shinobi community, to be the last line of defence, to be ANBU.

But as you stand there, yards away, watching Shikamaru surrounded you can't help but feel slightly bitter and uneasy. Your eyes take in the black sheathed blade strapped to his back, the white gauze covering his left bicep, and that small black bag; you didn't even have to be a shinobi to know what is inside.

You watch Asuma-sensei give him one of those back-breaking bear hugs. You watch the guys stare, torn between great awe and insane jealousy. And you watch the girls fawning over him and his great achievement. But instead of joining them you turn around and run.

*

You're sitting in the flower shop, idly doodling on a writing pad when a shadow falls across the counter. You look up, startled as Shikamaru stares back steadily at you. You didn't hear him come in.

"I thought you out of all people" he says, hands shoved deep into his vest pockets, everything but the gauze pad gone. "Would be at least glad that I-"

"I am happy for you" you interrupt.

He looks at you with one of those expressions and you know he doesn't believe you. "I just" you begin trying to justify your reasons. "I…" you trail off, there is no justification. "I don't need you to be a hero, Shikamaru" you finally say, turning your back on him so he wouldn't see you furiously blinking back tears. You were not going to cry in front of him. So instead you busy yourself in wrapping a particularly large bouquet of flowers and for a moment, the only sound is the crinkling of the plastic.

"Do you remember" he says and you stop, suddenly, "when we were at your house, that night before the exam about the great shinobi wars?"

You swallow hard, saying nothing as you slowly turn back to face him.

 "You said that one day I would find something forth fighting for… Possibly even die for" And like an involuntary reflex your eyes squeeze shut. "I'm not saying that I am a hero, Ino or that I ever will be. It's just maybe… I simply found something worth fighting for." 

Then you feel his fingertips brushing across the nape of your neck and you shudder at the unexpected touch.

You'd let your hair out today and it was almost as short as it was during your chuunin exams, barely brushing your shoulders. Your mum wanted you to grow it out again, she loved your long hair but you didn't. The long hair represented the old you and the short hair represented… the improved you. It was almost a relief when you first cut it, like you were letting go of a burden you didn't know you were holding on to. And as you watched the hair fall silently to the ground you felt a new strength humming through your veins like if the whole world turned its back on you, you'd still have the strength to …live. You were never letting go of that feeling again.

Your eyes flutter open, and you briefly wonder when he got so tall before you lose yourself in his eyes.

*

Wise eyes your mother use to say when you were both little and you frowned demanding to know what sort of eyes you had. "Pretty" she replied and you were always pleased with that because you though pretty was better then wise.

"An old soul" your father would chuckle whenever Shikamaru would get into one of his moods when we could just sit there for hours doing nothing, "an essence that has lived a thousand lifetimes and seen it all."

And you just wrinkled up your nose calling him boring.

"What about my soul, daddy?" you'd say, tugging at his sleeve.

And he'd smile ruffling the hair you spent all morning making perfect. "Young" he'd reply every time.

And you'd smile because you thought young was better then old.

*

"I like your hair better this way" he says and you snap back into reality.

"Does it make me look prettier?" you ask in a forced smile, an attempt to lift the sombre mood.

"No" he replies simply, lightly running his knuckle down your left cheek. "Just better"

Then, just like he had appeared - he's gone. And you're left behind with the notion that you would rather be old and wise then young and pretty.

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A/N: Hello All! And For those wonderful, wonderful people who reviewed THANK YOU and you may have also noticed that the title and the summary has changed. Why? I don't know… Just felt like it I guess. Sort of re-worked the original idea but hope you call like it and keep reviewing!

 Virgo1: You write beautiful angst and you make the heart hurt in ways that are just wonderful. - Wow that has to be one of the greatest feedbacks; I have ever received. Thank you so much. 
…though maybe a couple times it went a little overboard. - Aha! I see… lol I hope you mean the gossip the village folk are muttering about because that was suppose to be the point. To show how rumours can get ridiculously over-exaggerated and just plain absurd. Those damn nosy villagers. But if you mean any other part of the chapter then… yeah, yeah that… was… intentional… too…

 RurouniGochan: I guess other geniuses like Kakashi would be kinda feared as well Good Point!
…but I'm just not fond of your POV selection - One day, one day we will be on the same page. lol. And thank you.

 gooberific: i never really thought of shikamaru as someone to be feared, but with the way you presented the situation, it now seems very logical. -  Yay! This is just what I wanted and intended! Thank you.