AN:: Rice Pudding Chapter Four! Yay! It's short, sorry about that but I was mega tired, I only have time to write at night now. Enjoy!

Rice Pudding

Arroz Con Leche

Chapter: Shi*-Cuatro-Four.

The fifth hokage had a crisis on her hand. Cursing at herself for not being in control, Tsunade waited for Shizune and Shikamaru to hurry with a possible solution.

She waited….

And waited….

And wai-

"Where the hell are they?"

With impeccable timing, the said duo appeared into the room. Shizune groaned at the sight of the table. "Lady tsunade please! That's our 7th table this month and it's not helping the situation."

Ignoring Shizune's comment, tsunade glared at shikamaru. "Did you get it?." Shikamaru nodded, "It was a drag, but Shizune and I were able to locate it."

Relief swept trough the fith hokage. Holding out her hand, Tsunade gestured Shikamaru to give her the package. "This is top secret, NO ONE must know of this."

Shizune sweat dropped. Not being to hold it in any longer she let Tsunade have it. "Well if you hadn't gotten yourself drunk when you were supposed to be doing papers, may I remind you, you wouldn't have woken up with the hangover and Shikamaru and I wouldn't have to go to some old woman's hut miles away to get her infamous "magical" elixer for hangovers! And now you're backed up with 3 days of paperwork!"

Ignoring the medic's lecture, Tsunade drank the "magical" elixer for her head splitting hangover. In an instant she felt relief. "That old woman, she is amazing."

"Can I go now?" Shikamaru spoke suprising the two ladies. He sighed, how easily they forgot him. Oh well.

"Thank you Shizune, Shikamaru. Mission well done."

"Troublesome.." Shikamaru muttered.

"Well then, I'll go bring the paperwork right on up." Shizune smiled seeing tsunade's face fall. Serves her right.

Shikamaru opened the door and found tsunades double -in personality, strenght and medic abilities- standing there with both hands full of stacks passing her head in papers and files. "Wonderful, I was worried I was going to have to kick the door down."

Shizune and Shikamaru swear dropped again. Tsunade's face paled at the sight of all those papers. "Sakura what are you doing?"

"Well I figured you would want to get right to work so I brought you all the papers." Sakura cheerfully answered.

In many ways she is similar to Lady Tsunade, but at least she dosent drink or ignore her duties. Shizune tought happily.

"By the way," Sakura placed the papers on the side of the desk that still stood, "the top scrolls here look important." grabbing said scrolls, she handed them to Tsunade. Seeing the seal on the scrolls Tsunades eyes widened. "That's the Fire Lord's seal."

"Fire Lord?" Shikamaru and Sakura repeated.

Shizune walked over to tsunade and looked at the scrolls. "Lady tsunade, these scrolls were sent 3 days ago!"

Immediately opening the scrolls Tsunade read its contents. With each sentence her eyes widened until the three other ninjas thought if they widened any further they would pop out of their sockets. Tense minutes passed as they waited to see what Tsunade would say, but she remained wide eyed and frozen.

Sakura broke the silence. "Well, what does the Fire Lord want?"

After a few more silent moments, Tsunade finally moved. Getting up from her desk she passed the other three only to stop at the doorway. "Shizune, assemble a group of ANBU ninja to be an escort party for the Fire Lord's son. Shikamaru be prepared to head off with the escort team, but first come with me. You too Sakura."

"Wait, the prince? Why is he…? My lady where are you headed off to?" Shizune rambled on..

Tsunade turned to face them. "I'm off to see Hiashi Hyuga."

xxxxxx

Today so far has been a drag. This morning Shikamaru was awakened by his mother and some ANBU guy, then he had to join Shizune on some wild search for a magical elixer made by some old woman to cure the hangover of the hokage. Worse still, after finally finding the darn elixer and curing the hokage's hangover now he has to get ready to escort the Fire Lord's son, but after joins the hokage to see Lord Hyuga.

"Lady Tsunade, if you don't mind my asking, why are we going to see Lord Hyuga, and why is the Fire prince coming to the village, and why are we tagging along?" Sakura said, interrupting Shikmaru from his thoughts.

Tsunade answered, "Shikamaru is here to help plan, you are here for support, and maybe to restrain some people.." Tsunade muttered the last part.

"Support?" "Plan?" the two chunin asked at the same time.

"It will become clear once we get there. Just be patient."

xxxxxx

Arriving at the Hyuga mansion in less than 10 minutes-the joys of roof hopping-Tsunade knocked on the main door, loudly. The door opened to reavel an elderly woman wearing an apron. "Oh my, Lady Hokage. What brings you here?"

Tsunade smiled at the old woman. "Hello Kaoru. Is Hiashi here?"

Eyeing the trio Kaoru nodded. "Yes he's here. Come in, I'll show you to the tea room."

Following the old cook, Tsunade wondered how she was going to tell Hiashi the news.

"Sit down, I'll go tell him you're here and being some tea too."

"Thank You Kaoru" tsunade smiled but then remembered something, "Oh Kaouru?"

Turning, Kaoru asked, "Yes?"

"Is Hinata in too?" Tsunade asked, carefully. The other three looked at her confusingly.

"No, Lady Hinata went out with her teammates."

"I see, thank you."

Kaouru bowed wondering what the hokage would want with Lord Hiashi and Lady Hinata.

Seeing the old lady walk away, Shikamaru spoke up. "Lady Tsunade, whats going on."

Tsunade stared at Shikamaru right in the eyes and smirked. "You'll see." then turned to greet Hiashi, "Hello Hiashi."

Shikamaru turned not hearing Lord Hyuga arrive and saw Neji by his side. By the look on Neji's face, he too was surprised and confused by the hokage's sudden visit.

Hiashi nodded "Lady Hokage."

Waiting till Hiashi sat down, Tsunade cut right to the chase. "We need to talk. It involves Hinata."

Xxxxxxxx

His daughter? Hinata? "What did she do?" Hiashi asked, dreading the possibilities. She isn't strong enough? Too many failed missions?

The fifth hokage shook he head. "No she didn't do anything wrong, well maybe, depends on how you look at it. It's what someone wants her to do."

Neji looked confusingly at Sakura and Shikamaru, hoping they could tell him something. Their faces were blank.

Hiashi narrowed his eyes, "Who is this someone and what do they want Hinata to do?"

"I received a letter from the Fire Lord's son. He has an intresting proposal. Literally."

Hiashi was confused. "I don't understand."

Tsunade smiled, here comes the hard part. "To state it simply, the Fire prince wants to marry Hinata."

AN: Bwahahahaha, cliff hanger. I'm sorry, I had to do it. The next chapter should be up in about 2 weeks. Review please(:

*In Japanese; shi and yon both mean 4. So don't think I made a mistake ;)