AN: Tsunade's turn. This is where little details and events and things start to make sense (except Ino's hair but that comes much later). She is such a deviant, really living up to the gambling attitude. She explains it all herself. I am no longer needed. Disclaimers still apply.
1146 words in this chapter
Missing in Action
Chapter eleven- Bets anyone?
"Such a disappointment." Tsunade shook her head in disbelief as she watched the two monitors in front of her. She had expected more from the kunoichi by now, but was getting nothing for her efforts. Admittedly, it had only been five minutes, but neither pair had managed to turn on a light yet, and listening to Ino shouting at Shikamaru was no fun at all (she listens to herself doing it often enough). It seemed that neither girl had decided to put their plans into action until they could see what they were doing rather than taking advantage of the darkness.
Shizune walked into the room and coughed loudly to get Tsunade's attention.
"What is it Shizune?" she asked, without turning from the screens.
"Are you going to be back in your office at all today Tsunade-sama?"
"No. It's my birthday so I'm giving myself the day off"
"You can't…"
"If you are about to tell me that I can't take the day off, I'd like to remind you that I'm the bloody Hokage now. I can do whatever the hell I want to do."
"My only point is that you have also given Sakura the day off. There is practically no skilled medic staff on hand at the hospital."
"They have you. Stop wasting my time. Unless there is anything else…"
"Oh yeah. Your guests are here"
"Then why are you asking me stupid questions? Get them down here now! And be quick about it."
It didn't take too long before they all turned up, but by the time they did, Sakura had managed to find the light switch on and the view of the apartment her and Kakashi was in was much improved.
"What is it this time Hokage?" Anko demanded of her as the group entered the room.
"Why are we in a Gen-jutsu area?" Kurenai wondered
"Why are we all here?" a number of the others chorused.
"Hold on!" Tsunade demanded while she set the tape going on the monitors to make sure she didn't miss anything while she explained. "Sit down everyone and let me explain"
They all did as she asked and she looked around and checked that everyone was here. Three parties for each room, check.
"Alright, so thanks for coming. Believe me when I say you will not regret it." She smiled at them all "I've brought you all here basically because the people I have on these screens behind me asked specifically for me not to tell you what it is they are doing. They also told me not to watch either so I've taken the initiative to film them without their knowing, for our enjoyment and for possible future blackmail possibilities."
"Who is it then?" Anko interrupted her.
"Anko, Genma, Kurenai, you'd be interested to see your close friend Hatake Kakashi in a very compromising situation with a former student. He was very adamant that I would die a horrible death if any of you even knew where he was today. Shikaku, Inoichi, Choza, you'd be interested in seeing the exact same situation recreated between two of your children. Ino had some strange impression that if you found out what she was going to have to do to the Nara boy, you would get a little carried away. Now if any of you feel like making any bets right away, feel free."
"What exactly do you mean when you say "compromising situation"?" Inoichi asked intrigued but weary for his daughter.
"You'll see… I hope. I'll explain it as we go along. If we're ready, Ino and Shikamaru are in the middle of a heated argument about your parenting so I think we'll just leave them to cool off while we watch how Hatake gets on" She sat back down and pressed play on both screens, enabling the volume only on the screen showing Kakashi and Sakura. During the silence as they sat on opposite sides of the room, more questions were asked.
"Why is the other screen blank?" Shikaku started.
"Ah! That's because your genius children haven't figured out how to turn the light switch on yet"
Kurenai sniggered for a second "my four-year old can manage that much"
"You're four year old was taught by my son Yuhi, you'll give him the respect he deserves" Shikaku glared at her
"Steady on there" Tsunade stressed "I don't want another war starting on my birthday"
"Well there would have to be some reason why would you risk angering the legendary copy Nin like this" Genma sighed with a sarcastic tone
"Don't mock me Genma"
"Gen-jutsu" they heard Sakura exclaim over the sound system
"What?" Tsunade chorused at the same time as Kakashi did.
Then they all sat, listening in amazement as Sakura pretty much dissected the illusions put in place and more or less explained what they were doing there aswell (except the main vitals). Those that weren't amused (or proud, in Tsunade's case) by Sakura's revelation, were too busy laughing at the hopeless look on Kakashi's face. He had been outsmarted by a former student, one which he had happily handed over to the Hokage on the assumption that she was the weakest on his team.
If not anything else, this little scene made it fairly clear that without his Sharingan, Hatake Kakashi was nothing. That or Sakura is a lot more intelligent than anyone gives her credit for.
"Tsunade-sama!" Choza pointed to the other screen and Tsunade switched over the sound just in time as the lights when on for Shikamaru and Ino. They watched as Shikamaru leant against the wall in a relaxed pose.
"Cocky bugger" Genma grumbled
"How long have you known that was there?" Ino said once she'd glanced around the room, looking disgusted.
"Pretty much right away" Shika replied calmly.
"That's my boy." Shikaku exclaimed.
"And you didn't say anything?! Why didn't you do that earlier?" Ino yelled
"That's my girl." Inoichi mirrored the Nara.
"You didn't ask"
"Oh that cheeky… go on Baby, give him hell" he continued.
"Oh Kami Shika…" She started, and then seemed to pause, like she was considering something. Her expression suddenly changed to something that made Inoichi shut up immediately.
Tsunade grinned back at them all. "This is the real, situation I was describing earlier"
Ino continued "Shika-kun. Let's not argue. I'm sorry I yelled"
Everyone in the room except Inoichi let out a quick giggle at her attitude and the effect it had on her father.
"Fine" Shikamaru walked over to the bed in sight and lay down.
Shikaku froze in fear "Stupid, Stupid boy! You never lie down when they use that voice! It's suicide!"
Surely enough, Ino sauntered over to lie next to him suggestively. She leant beside him and started to stroke his chest. "Shika-kun…"
No one heard anything else as Shikaku turned to face Inoichi, who had glanced away to avoid seeing his daughter that way with a man. "Inoichi Yamanaka! I will never forgive you for having a daughter! Never! My boy will be scared for life after this! Nara's do not go well with women!"
"Whose fault is that exactly?" Inoichi spat back "If your son so much as lays a finger on my daughter before she is happily married, and only then if it ends up being him, I will castrate him so fast there won't be any more Nara's."
"What? Are you trying to preserve her virginity? Because she lost that…"
"Guys." Tsunade interrupted, fast forwarding through the tape "Its fine, look. They just keep talking till she falls asleep. No harm done"
"Talking about what?" Choza questioned
"Hold on, I'll just stop it somewhere."
"How are you ever going to get that life you always talked about… the wife and kids?"
"I always have you" He smiled at her, but this time, the parents didn't interrupt.
"But do you actually want me?"
"Does that matter?"
"Please tell me Shika-kun."
"I don't want to offend you"
"No then." She didn't sound upset.
Then there was silence from the sound system. "Are we being selfish?" Inoichi questioned.
"I think we are" Shikaku sighed. They both looked over at Choza. He nodded in reply.
"When they get out of there, I think it's safe to say their engagement is off" Inoichi stated.
"Whoa." Tsunade stopped them "Don't get too carried away. They've got days yet. And they don't get out until one or the other is seduced into submission. That's the rules."
Shikaku's eyes shot wide "S-s-seduced?"
Tsunade gave them all a huge, proud grin. "Ino's got a day and a half before Shikamaru has been ordered to return fire. Same applies for Sakura and Kakashi. Bets anyone?"