It's a girl thing
Little Leaf Village
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Dear Sakura
Thanks for the book on herbal plants, who knew reading could be so useful! Anyway, at least there's no secrecy around the Mis' so I can tell you that I'm a complete success! Honestly everywhere I go there are crowds of people chanting my name (Inoki, Inoka, Inoko whatever I'm calling myself that day.) Sometimes the audience gets so into the play, that they try to save me before TomTom (Tenten) can. If I wasn't so professional I'd burst out laughing.
You were asking about the name thing. It's part of my plan. It was Tenten who gave me the idea when she cut her hair to play the boy. Well, and Asuma-sensei left me a clue in the book he lent me. Really the man can be so obtuse sometimes, why didn't he just come right out and tell me? I'm changing my name a little each time we play in a new town. There's nothing printed with my name or face on so you can tell the old hag that I can act like a real shinobi. I'm trying to confuse the trail as much as possible. Tenten refused to change her name after the first time, she reckons if she gives me the chance I'll just give her another more stupid name. Honestly the girl is as pig headed as a mule sometimes.
I suppose you're wondering about the book too huh? Well see I've been using Henge Jutsus to change my hair colour just a little bit every time I change my name. But Tenten pointed out that it was a waste of Chakra, so I'm ging to mixup some hair dye and use them. But I'm not going to abandon using Henge's. I have a plan that's going to make those dried up prunes in Konoha sit up and take notice!
I guess you could say I'm feeling better now it's not as horribly bad as I thought it would be. But Tenten's a pain in the butt most of the time. I don't know what is wrong with her team, but they're all like that! Honestly she's one of the most unsociable people I've ever met. And a complete bear about the smallest things. For example, I was signing autographs (no names, just a little design thing. I tell them it's my secret ninja sign.) My fans are so sweet! Anyway the caravan was packing up so I asked Tenten to put my bags onto the wagon while I finished up. It's not even the first time she's done it, I'm often the last to leave because of all the autographs, and so she usually ends up packing my gear too. But suddenly she's all sensitive about helping me out. As if it's my fault that I'm a better actor than her and that I'm the star, and she's just a side character.
Anyway I've decided to ignore her for now, I can't help it if she wants to be unpleasant.
Love to all Ino.
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Dear Tenten,
Please excuse me for writing to you again, but Neji-niisan has left on another mission and doesn't have time to reply to your letter of last week.
We are all well, and Neji-niisan wishes me to tell you that he hopes you are making good use of his gift. He has been named my official shadow and is now head of the branch family. I am very proud of him, and I know that my Father is too. I think that Neji-niisan is pleased with the promotion.
We had a celebration supper after the official ceremony and it was nice, but we all missed your presence on such an important occasion. I know Neji-niisan thought to write to you about his promotion personally but as always his duties came first and he was very occupied until he left this morning. I enclose the short note he started but did not finish.
I hope this is not too forward of me.
Lee-kun is in very good form, he and Gai-sensei returned from their three month mission in Wave Country just in time for Neji-niisan's ceremony. Lee-kun has learnt another special move and Gai-sensei is endlessly boasting about his progress to Kakashi-sensei. Gai-sensei sends his love and hopes you received the little souvenirs he sent you.
We have been trying to follow your progress in the newspapers, but Hokage-sama has really tightened up on the editors and now they're not allowed to print almost anything that has to do with shinobi. The best we get are vague descriptions of the show. There aren't even any direct pictures of you or Ino-chan. But there is often a long haired blonde girl somewhere in them, but it doesn't really look like Ino-chan.
I must go even I have duties that cannot wait.
Missing you,
Your loving friends,
Hyuuga Neji, Rock Lee, Gai Mato, Hyuuga Hinata.
P.S. here is Neji's unfinished note, please do not be offended by its lack of detail. It is not that he doesn't think the letter is important, but he has so little time include more.
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Tenten,
I have been made Hinata-sama's personal bodyguard. They have also named me head of the Branch Family. It is a great honour. Today is the ceremony for both positions...
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Dear Ino,
I had to write immediately and tell you not to worry about Shikamaru and Chouji. Stupid secrecy rules. I wish I could write something real but even my letters are being scanned on this case. I just want you to know that everything is being done to help them. DON't WORRY we have some of our best guys on the mission.
Love always Sakura
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Ino crunched the note in her hand, confused, something had happened to Chouji and Shikamaru? It'd been almost half a year of this mission and if she concentrated on all the priviledges her position as star of the circus had garnered her, it hadn't been too bad. It would have been better if Tenten hadn't decided to treat the mission and her like enemies. But hey not everyone could be as professional as her. It was just a mission, like all the others, doing her part for Konoha like a good shinobi should. It was not the most humilating thing she'd ever done dressing up like some movie ninja reject and parading her hard won skills in front of drunken idiots who were more impressed by how her chest bounced than in how accurate her shuriken were. She could get over it, forget it, brush it off.
This tid bit of information about Chouji and Shikamaru though, was not so easily pushed aside. Hurrying her steps she sought out the one other person in camp who might know something.
Tenten was busy packing.
"Are we moving out so soon?" Ino asked hooking a long lock of hair behind her ear.
Tenten rolled her eyes and looked sourly at Ino. Ino sighed and glared at Tenten, crossing her arms daring the taller Kunoichi to start in on her again.
"If you had bothered to turn up this morning, you'd know our mission outline has changed." Tenten said, drawing a letter out of her pocket and waving it under Ino's nose.
Ino rolled her eyes.
"I had to get my beauty sleep and my nails needed redoing, some of us have to look good for this mission, you're lucky, you're the boy. Noone expects you to look like a pinup while you're busy playing ninja."
"Yeah well now you're out of the loop." Tenten said, tucking the letter back into her pocket.
"Hey! You can't speak to me like that! I'm the star!" Ino yelled, glaring at Tenten. "I'm on this mission too, now fill me in!"
"Why don't you make me?" Tenten hissed looking down at the shorter perfectly coiffed kunoichi with contempt. "If you were still a real kunoichi you'd be able to make me tell you, instead you're some small time actor playing at being hard."
"I would make you, as you so charmingly put it, except that I am a mature adult and do not need to resort to violence. Now give me that letter." Ino held out her hand.
In truth Ino's temper was fizzing, Tenten had been acting like Ino was nothing more than a pretty flirt for too long. Tenten thought she wasn't worthy of the title kunoichi just because Ino happened to be the star? Just because Ino happened to take her job seriously enough to act like a star? Ino was inches away from shoving her fist into Tenten's face.
Only the thought of what the Hokage would say if she found out the two kunoichi had been brawling in public, stayed her hand. They were supposed to be role models, not screamming harpies.
"Make me." Tenten said evenly, narrowing her eyes and drawing up to her full height.
Ino sucked in her breath, her temper heating up a little more. She tried grabbing for Tenten, but Tenten simply dodged. It was the bored expression on Tenten's face that was really driving Ino mad. Moving into Taijutsu Ino found most of her moves struck nothing but empty air, as Tenten showed that Lee wasn't the only one well trained in hand to hand.
Flipping her ponytail back mostly out of habit, Ino tried a surprise move and surprised herself when it worked. Tenten stumbled back a bit from the hit, more shocked than hurt. Ino grinned, Tenten glared and took up a fighting position.
"Careful you don't break a nail." Tenten snapped.
"Careful you don't." Ino snapped back.
Far from the display of fine taijutsu one would expect from two highly trained kunoichi it was short and graceless, finishing with both of them on the ground. Tenten had her face pushed into the dirt while Ino struggled in the hands of their captor.
"Give up?" Came the calm voice.
Ino struggled free and turned to face Captain Junei. Her face was red and her hair was a mess, her clothes had been twisted in the struggle. Jerkily smoothing herself down, Ino glared at both the Captain and Tenten as she got up.
Tenten looked no different except for the dust that now covered her front. Seeing Ino's frantic grooming, Tenten gave a contemptuous snort, which earned her an elbow from the Captain.
"I see you're not ready to move Yamanaka." Captain Junei said from behind his cat mask.
"I wasn't aware we were moving Captain." Ino said stiffly.
"They are your teammates, you should be glad to be on this mission." Tenten said, still rubbing her stomach from Captain Junei's hit.
"Yes, no one's told me what's happened to my teammates either." Ino said looking daggers at Tenten.
The Captain's eyes slipped over to Tenten aswell.
"Someone didn't bother to turn up to the meeting this morning." Tenten growled, crossing her arms again.
"I explained about that." Ino said, giving a tight smile.
"I give you a run down tonight at camp.' The Captain said. "Packup ladies we're moving out."
Campsite
"Tommorrow we arrive at Fire Capital, and you'll go to work immediately." The Captain started, taking his place at the campfire.
Ino and Tenten politely waited for him to finish.
"The kidnapping of the Fire Lord's great granddaughter has of course been given high priority by all the law enforcement agencies in Konoha."
Ino felt her eyebrows rise into her fringe. Turning to look at Tenten she noticed that Tenten was frowning, and not in a 'I'm really concentrating' way either. More in a 'I smell a rat' way. Ino hardened her face as well and turned back to Captain Junei.
"Shinobi Nara and Shinobi Akimichi were also taken in the attempt. They were disguised as high ranking officials and we assume they are being held for ransom."
Ino gripped her knees tightly to stop herself from doing something stupid.
"We are hoping that the presence of Nara and Akimichi will mean that Minako-sama will be quickly freed, it may well be that by the time we arrive in the capital it will be all over."
Tenten poked the fire and stared at it as if fascinated.
"So why are we going?" Tenten asked almost rudely. "What possible use could we be? I'm a step away from being decommissioned, and she's a tricked out show pony."
Ino rolled her eyes at Tenten's choice of words. She'd come to let most of Tenten's comments roll off her like water. It hadn't taken Ino long to figure out that Tenten had taken her humilation too personally. Making her already rough around the edges character, even more rough around the edges.
"You're going to be the show of support that Konoha sends."
Tenten sighed and sprawled back onto her elbows. Ino frowned.
"Show of support?" Ino asked warily. "Why does the Hokage want to make a show of support?"
"Because the Daimyo has suffered from a series of assination attempts in the last five years. He wants everyone to reassure him of their loyalty." Captain Junei's face was carefully blank.
What ever he thought about the Daimyo's demands were not for public display.
"What form does this reassurance take?" Ino asked.
"Being very visable, staying with the Daimyo and making soothing noises. Keeping him happy,
and off the Hokage's back." The Captain said shortly.
Ino could practically hear Tenten's eyes roll in their sockets. Drawing herself up and folding her hands in her lap Ino clenched her left hand fingers in an iron grip.
"Of course you think that Shika-kun and Chouji will have already rescued the girl and returned her by the time we even get to the Capital." She said carefully holding in any emotions.
There was a terrible suspicion was growing, fueled by certain things Captain Junei had said and not said.
"Well, yes." Captain Junei said scratching his head in a very Shikamaruish fashion. "Frankly the Hokage thinks it's a waste of time to put anyone else on the mission."
"Which is why we're being given it." Tenten said sourly.
"I could always report that you are unwilling to complete the mission, I'm sure she will understand your reluctance." The Captain said,fixing Tenten with a look.
Tenten almost scowled but then closed her face down, leaving only a mask.
"No need sir."
"Captain," Ino asked as calmly as she could. "Just how sure are we that Shika-kun and Chouji are still alive?"
"We have not found their bodies, and we have no reason to think that their cover had been blown."
The cold words offered little comfort to Ino, but she took them like a sheild.
Shika-kun wouldn't die that easily and he wouldn't let anything happen to Chouji either. Ino thought to reassure herself. Getting kidnapped was probably part of his plan, and he'd have a plan to get out too.
Clinging to the idea Ino hunched down into her sleeping bag. But sleep was slow coming. These were her teammates, not just anyone. Shikamaru was clever, but lazy, he never did anything if an easier way could be found, but would that easier way be better? And Chouji, he did everything Shika-kun did and said. Ino worried that if Shika-kun messed up Chouji would follow him over the edge just like a lemming. Really she was the driving force behind the team, if she wasn't there they probably wouldn't even get out of bed in the morning. They couldn't function if she didn't provide that energizing force.
Chased by these thoughts Ino eventually fell into a fitfull sleep.
On her side, Tenten tried to figure out if her life could get worse. Being an actor had been bad enough, being some paranoid lord's placebo pill was infinitely worse. Even if in her team it was normally her who appeased the wounded pride of their clients when Neji's, Lee's, or Gai-sensei's unique personalities rubbed them the wrong way, she didn't fancy the amount of pandering this mission would require. She appreciated even less the fact that she would have to complete the mission in Ino's company. The girl was everything that gave Kunoichi's a bad name. Vain, pushy, weak, talkative, slow, uncontrolled, vain.
Unknowningly Tenten drew out her meditation rock and ran her thumb over the design restlessly.
If she was lucky, Ino's teammates would have finished the mission by the time they got there. If she wasn't, well she knew lots of ways to hide a small blondhaired body. With that comforting thought Tenten rolled herself into her blanket and tucked the rock away. When she was reinstated, if she was even put back into her team, she vowed she would never ever do anything that might have team up with Ino again. Everything Neji had said about her was true. What she wouldn't give to have her own team back. Falling into dreams about past missions, Tenten jerked awake many times as a horrible Ino type kunoichi kept inserting herself into the memories.
The next morning both kunoichi looked worse for wear, and the accidental meeting at the bathing stream was only kept civil because of Captian Junei's presence. Moving out both kunoichi prayed that they would arrive only to be told that the mission was cancelled. They would know their fate when they arrived.