13. Uphill from Nowhere

The day of the Spring Festival, the citizens chattered cheerfully about their plans and traditions around Ino as she rushed back to the Pub after a harsh day at work. Chi, being the lazy fool she always was, called in sick, so Ino managed the entire restaurant, running everywhere and balancing twenty things on her tiny tray. When the new girl—the new, accident prone girl—showed up, yes, Ino's job became a bit easier…after she cleaned up the shattered glass the girl spilled on the floor. After that, the day went dandy!

The best thing about the day was the fact she didn't have to go back to that damn restaurant for a week since she asked for personal days to "mourn for the death of her grandma"—really, Ino needed time to rest her worn out body that experienced hard work every day with very diminutive sleep. The thought of sleeping in on the weekdays made Ino giddy inside as she thought about sleeping in until noon like Minako.

"You're home early," Minako commented when Ino barged through the door. Ino stalled her steps to gawk at the scene between Minako and her teammate, Shikamaru. Shikamaru slouched in a chair with a 'kill me now' sort of look as Minako sat on the tabletop, braiding his hair.

What the hell! Shikamaru never let Ino braid his hair!

The young man glared at Ino, who just stood there, gawking at the rare sight. "I swear, if you tell anyone about this—" He couldn't finish his threat since Minako pulled his hair, making him wince.

"Not even Asuma?"

"You will die."

Ino flinched at the word but quickly hid it by faking a laugh. "He'd die laughing if he knew about this." She sat down, watching Minako style his hair with a goofy grin on her face.

"Freaking—I swear, Ino—"

"Calm down; I won't tell anyone."

Shikamaru, for some odd reason, became part of the Blue Pub family. He weaved his way into the heart of Minako, who adored her teammate as if he were her older brother and tagged alongside him like a lovesick puppy. Shikamaru didn't seem to mind. Watching the two of them was almost cute.

Jin and Shikamaru were beer buddies supposedly, says Shikamaru. For the past week, Jin actually showed his face every day to converse and have a beer with Shikamaru. Said teammate is also supposedly living with Jin, who lives about a block from the Pub in a duplex house.

Since when did Shikamaru become so likeable?

"So, are you still coming to the festival with us tomorrow, right?" Minako asked as she combed through his black hair with her fingers. She pulled his hair through his rubber band, tying it back to its original style.

"Yeah, I guess so," he said as he straightened up in his chair, taking a sip of his beer.

Ino held up a hand, pausing the event unfolding before her. "No."

"Why not?" Minako protested as a childish pout began to grow.

"Yeah, why can't I?" Shikamaru asked, arching a brow. He took another swig of his beer.

"You just can't."

"That's not a legitimate for me not to go."

"It's just a stupid festival."

"You don't think the festival back home is stupid," Shikamaru rebutted while Minako kicked Ino's shin under the table and said, "Ino, don't be so harsh."

"Minako, how about you shut up?"

"Geez, you're so moody these days…."

"I am not moody."

"And you stink, too," Sachiko added from the kitchen. Since when did she become part of this conversation? Shikamaru grunted, choking down his laughter. Ino glared at him, resisting the urge to kick him in the shin.

"I don't stink." Ino bowed her head to sniff her armpit then took a strand of her hair and ran it across her nostrils. "I smell delicious."

"Are you not aware how bad you fart in the middle of the night?" Sachiko exclaimed, resulting in loud laughing combustion from Minako and Shikamaru.

"Girls don't fart," Ino deadpanned.

Later that night, Shikamaru leaned against a table in the main room of the Pub, waiting for the girls to finish changing into their yukatas. He, not being one for festivals, decided not to dress for the occasion, remaining in his long sleeved navy shirt and his black sweat pants with his usual worn torn sandals.

Ino suggested Shikamaru hang out with the two other men who lived at the Pub. He needed some "man time", she says. He decline and reassured her that the thing he wanted to do was hang out with the three prettiest girls in Kumogakure, which the two Kumo girls replied with a blush and a "you're too sweet" from Minako while Ino responded with a hard punch to the stomach. She knew better than to accept his compliments.

Since the night, almost a week ago, she beat him to oblivion and seconds later, soaked his favorite shirt with her heavy tears, Shikamaru noticed a better change in Ino. He noticed the life slowly coming back into her dull, blue eyes. Every once in a while, she'd flash a tiny smile. Even her cheeks gained slight color back, now constantly a tint of pink. However, she still acts detached from the world, often zoning off when she spoke with others. She held herself with little confidence—something Shikamaru could not get used to—and she tried to make herself invisible with her head down, arms wrapped around her stomach and her knees tucked against her chest. Shikamaru could only wonder what's going on in Ino's head, and if he asked, Ino would only ignore him.

"Maybe I should've gone with the pink," Minako mumbled as she bounded down the rickety stairs, dressed in a bright yellow yukata with a butterfly pattern beaded into the bright cloth. "I look like a giant squash." At the last couple of steps, she stumbled over her feet as she tried to tie the dark, ocean blue obi tight around her waist. As she walked over to Shikamaru, still stumbling over her feet, she mumbled to herself, "I can never get these things right…." She brushed her curly bangs from her face when she glanced up at Shikamaru. A blue ribbon tied her hair back at the nape of her neck.

Sachiko slowly walked down the stairs in short, awkward steps. Minako chuckled at the other woman. "It's tight around the legs, Sachiko."

Sachiko snorted in response and pulled the skirt up to her knees, so she could march faster down the steps. Down the length of the fiery red yukata, a yellow and orange dragon coiled around a detailed, old willow tree with its vines swaying. Humming her own tune, Minako spun Sachiko around to study how she tied the obi.

"You have it wrong," Minako said, taking the white bows of Sachiko's obi and tugging at them.

Sachiko smacked away Minako's hands. "Don't touch it! I have it right! You're jealous you can't tie one!"

Minako and Sachiko couldn't be more polar opposites. Shikamaru couldn't get enough of it, which reminded him of him and Ino. The girls especially reminded him of Naruto and Sasuke, except Minako and Sachiko weren't so extreme about killing each other. Well, they probably weren't so intent on killing each other….

"I am not. Where's Ino?" Shikamaru snickered at the abrupt subject change while Sachiko rolled her eyes and helped Minako tie her obi correctly.

Ino poked her head into the room, glaring at the trio lazing around the main room. "I seriously look horrible in this thing. I'm not wearing it."

Minako growled feverishly, rolling her eyes. "We've had this freaking conversation five minutes ago, Ino. You look fine. What's worse than looking like a freaking squash?" Minako gestured towards her own yukata and raised her brows at Ino, challenging Ino to top her.

"I look fat and ugly."

Shikamaru almost choked on the air he inhaled, wondering if his ears heard right. Did Ino just call herself fat and ugly? Since when did Ino ever degrade herself? He didn't know if he should pull out a tape recorder or not—this being a monumental moment and all…. Back home, she constantly checked her reflection as she passed anything that could reflect a mirror image. She'd smile at the sight and walk with a confident bounce added to her already confident gait.

Minako marched over to the corner, making Ino back away from her. Shikamaru heard Minako threaten his poor teammate, "I'll pull you over there by your hair if you don't come in five seconds." She backed up from the corner, back into the main room, and held up a fist. Minako held up her index finger. "One."

"Minako, I look horrible!"

"Two." She added her middle finger.

"Please, don't make me do this."

"Three."

"Minako…."

"Four…."

"Okay, I'm coming!"

Shikamaru heard a distant, irritated huff as Ino ruffled with her yukata, probably tying the obi around her waist or pulling the skirt out so it wouldn't drag along the floor. His blonde teammate slumped as she stomped into the main room with childish defiance.

Minako bounced around the cross Ino, who glared at the bouncing preppy woman. "Doesn't she look lovely, Shikamaru?" Minako sang. Ino's eyes instantaneously locked onto Shikamaru's face and the words, "Not a word," flood into his mind. Did Ino learn a new technique during her time away? Or maybe his instincts were telling him to keep his yapper shut. He went with the latter, knowing Ino couldn't practice anything since she technically was a civilian.

"You look nice, Ino," he mumbled, rebelling against his instincts, who were screaming at him to keep his mouth zipped, but when Ino's cold glare softened, he knew he did something right for once.

His teammate's eye shone against the lavender cloth with white cherry blossoms randomly scattered along her yukata. She tugged at the long braid with a purple ribbon weaved through her hair. Minako slapped the hand that threatened to pull out the rubber band that held the braid together.

"And you're not dressed up?" Ino interrogated, placing a hand on a cocked hip.

The stance reminded Shikamaru of his tyrannical mother. "N-No."

Ino turned to Sachiko. "Why do I want to punch him so bad?" Shikamaru stiffened and quickly thought of a speedy getaway if Ino decided to become violet with him.

"Because you're hormonal," Sachiko deadpanned. "Don't worry. It'll pass."

"You better be right."

"When am I ever wrong?"

Silence.

The festival took place in Section 1, where the wealthier citizens and the shinobi lived, which was located in a large cave—for a lack of a better word—that could fit three-quarters of Konoha. From Section 2, the upper level of the village, stairs spiraled down the mountainside with pink, blue, and orange lanterns lighting the path down to the lower levels.

Minako hopped along Ino, Sachiko, and Shikamaru. Occasionally, she'd give everyone a heart attack when she spontaneously decided to jump onto the guard railing and bend over to peer into the darkness. Bless Sachiko….She grasped on Michiko for her dear life and attempted to tug her back onto the stairs, but as hard as she tried, Minako remained on the railing.

"Minako, if you fall, it's not the village's fault," Sachiko warned as she finally pulled Minako away from the guardrail. "They warned you about this at the gates."

"Stop being such a wet blanket. I'll be fine. Ino will even vouch for me, right, Ino?"

From the corner of his eye, Shikamaru glanced at Ino, who leaned against the rocks as if she wanted to create the most distance between her and Shikamaru as humanly possible in their tight situation. Ino glowered at her feet with her eyebrows pinching and relaxing, pinching and relaxing.

Minako popped her blonde head into Shikamaru's view, startling him and making him feel like a total dumb ass—Minako couldn't scare a thing. "Ino?" Minako called, waving a hand in front of Ino's troubled eyes.

Ino stared through Minako's hand and continued to glare at her sandals, so Shikamaru gently elbowed Ino's ribs to catch her attention. Ino froze and pinned her back against the wall as she gawked at him with terrified eyes. He ignored her sudden breakdown and beckoned to Minako, who once again hung over the guardrail, oblivious to the fact she had a good chance of committing unintentional suicide. Sachiko quietly warned Minako if she wouldn't behave, Sachiko would personally push her friend off the edge. In response, Minako wiggled her butt and shouted, "This is fun!"

"Minako," Ino said quietly—something Shikamaru couldn't grow accustomed to since she always shouted at people even if she were shoulder to shoulder with someone. "What do you want?"

Minako, to Sachiko's relief, jumped from the railing. "Oh, it's nothing. We're here!"

Lanterns of dull pinks, oranges, and yellows wrapped around the gateposts and illuminated the night sky with their shine. As the group of four walked through the open gates of Section 1, more lanterns filled Shikamaru's sights, reminding Shikamaru how bright the lanterns were during Konoha's festival. One year, when coming back from a mission in Suna, he could stand on treetops and see the luminous lights and fireworks when he was two day's journey away.

Ino walked about ten paces behind him and the two girls as they walked through the streets, seeing the different food carts and mini-games. The thing that puzzled Shikamaru the most was her quietness. Accompanying her to almost every Spring Festival in Konoha, Ino usually jumped all over the place, playing all the games that didn't prohibit shinobi from playing, and she gorged herself with all the sweets she could eat once a year. Looking at her now, Ino let Minako play all the games and instead of eating her sweets in one bite, she took small bites and took her time chewing with a distant gaze in her eye, as if she were thinking about topics far beyond the excitement of the festival. Minako and Sachiko didn't notice her unusual behavior.

"Ino, come do this game!" Minako pointed to a stand containing three bull's eyes and a noticeable sign hanging on one of the posts that forbid shinobi from participating. Ino seemed to notice the sign since she shook her head.

"I'm horrible at those games," Ino lied, smiling in apology.

"You can't be that bad! You win a giant teddy bear if you win!"

Shikamaru, in an effort to take Ino out of the hot spot, stepped between Ino and Minako. He wrapped an arm around Minako's shoulders to pull her closer to him as he leaned in to whisper in her ear. He felt Ino's elbow jab him into the rubs, but he ignored the moment of pain to whisper the key to winning the game.

After he pushed Minako towards the game, he turned to Ino with a triumphant grin. She stared back at him with her arms crossed. "That can be considered cheating."

"Since when was giving pointers cheating?" Shikamaru grinned at her again, and Ino stepped away from him, ripping her gaze away from his. For a second, the action puzzled him, but he knew the Ino in front of him was an imposter, so he brushed it off.

"I said I was sorry!" Minako shouted as a man chased her away with a broom. Minako hid behind Ino, who held her position and glared at the raging man. Without a word, the man huffed and trudged back to his stand.

Ino glanced over her shoulder to look at the cowering woman. "What happened?"

"I hit him in the thigh. Those kunai things are hard to control!" Shikamaru felt the look of 'I told you so' impending in three…two…ah, there it is. From experience, Ino and Shikamaru knew how hard it was to grip the kunai and knowing Minako…the combination of kunai and Minako didn't mix now that Shikamaru thought about it. He could only shrug off the glare from Ino and his bonehead mistake of letting Minako near a sharp object.

"Giving her pointers, huh?" Ino sneered. "This is why you're always backing everyone up, Shikamaru. You're almost useless with weapons."

Shikamaru scoffed. "I am not useless. I wouldn't be—"

"What are you two talking about?" Minako asked.

Ino shook her head. "Nothing, Minako. Oh, look! There's another game…that does not consist of sharp weapons and angry looking old men!" Ino pointed in the direction of the game, and Minako ran off, dragging Sachiko along with her.

"You almost blew your cover."

"Good thing she has the attention span of a goldfish. Anyway, my cover doesn't matter anyone since I'm withdrawn. I could tell everyone about my being a kunoichi, but since I'm not going back, I'm technically a citizen of Kumogakure."

Shikamaru sighed, rolling his eyes. Here she goes again…. "No, you're not, Ino."

"No one asked you." Stubborn as always. A trait Shikamaru wished she lost.

"Do I seriously need to beat"—Ino flinched at the word, but he ignored it—"some sense into you? If you go AWOL, I have no choice but to apprehend you by force. If you're not back in Konoha in the next two months, Tsunade will declare you rogue. After that, we have no idea what'll happen."

Ino rolled her eyes.

"Can you please listen to me?" he begged, growing irritated with the woman. "We need you back on the field. Anko is pissing everyone off, and your dad needs you back. He can't do his job by himself."

"No one will want me back."

"Everyone wants you back. Not just for work, but everyone does miss you."

"Can you shut up? I'm not going back."

The anger and frustration gradually building up in his body reached into unthinkable heights as he watched Ino turn and begin to walk away. He needed to punch something. He marched along with Ino as they raced down the main street, knocking people off the feet and pushing them into other people. "For someone so damn smart, you're acting like a…fucking dumbass!"

Ino abruptly stopped as she exhaled a harsh "HA!" then preceded the mockery he foresaw. "Shikamaru actually swore! Mama's boy is growing up!"

"Sachiko won a goldfish, guys!" Minako announced just as Shikamaru opened his mouth. He turned to face the other girls, not ridding of his glare, which stopped Minako and Sachiko advancing on the two shinobi. Sachiko quickly glanced at Ino, who had her back turned towards the two, and Minako stared at Shikamaru with a blank expression.

"Ino," he called to the insecure girl, who hesitantly looked over her shoulder, "come with me. You girls go on ahead. We'll meet up with you shortly." With one last glimpse at Ino, he began to lead the way to a flight of stairs located behind a ramen stand. He sensed Ino walking closely behind him, her footsteps quiet as they both climbed the stairs.

The mass of people with their wonderfully decorated yukatas looked like a rainbow of polka dots, and the thousands of lanterns glittered and glowered on the stands and enormous houses that belonged to the privileged rich. Ino could see everything from the platform her and Shikamaru stood on.

"They can't have fireworks," Shikamaru said suddenly after a pregnant silence. "Because the cave will collapse if they shoot any kind of extreme firework."

"I like fireworks," Ino whispered, still mesmerized by the sight of the festival below them.

Shikamaru stayed silent, but stepped closer to her. Ino inched away from him until her arm pressed against the wooden railing.

"You do that a lot," he accused, averting his eyes from the mass of people to Ino's uncomfortable face. Ino fiddled with her sleeve, clueless of what to say.

"You're scared of me," he assumed.

"I'm not scared of you." The actuality was that Ino feared every single person that could any harm to her, especially men. Shikamaru, being a man, obviously bigger, and most likely stronger than she is, terrified Ino even though they have been partners for almost ten years.

Shikamaru seemed to read Ino's mind. "Sorry, let me rephrase. You're scared of everyone. You're afraid of everyone that comes within arm's reach." To prove his point, Shikamaru reached out to poke her, but before he could touch her, she cringed away, scooting away from him so she stood about three arm lengths away.

Her teammate exhaled loudly and shook his head. "What happened to you?"

"Nothing."

"Then why are you like this?" Shikamaru reached into his pocket to pull out a carton of his cigarettes. Ino raised a brow at the sight of the cigarettes. He knew she disapproved of them. Shikamaru crushed the carton and threw it over the railing.

"Ow! What the hell!"

Shikamaru leaned over the railing. "Sorry!" Going back to the topic of Ino, he looked at her with the same concerned gaze everyone gave her. "You're not the same Ino I knew before you left."

"I am, too."

"Definitely not. The Ino I know would've beat me for saying she was scared of me."

Ino scoffed, glaring at him. "I wouldn't! I'm much more civil than that."

Shikamaru didn't say anything. He turned around and continued to watch the people below the platform. Ino remained in her corner, keeping the distance between her and her comrade.

Of all people, why did Tsunade send Shikamaru? 'Cause Tsunade knew Shikamaru was just as stubborn as Ino and wouldn't give up on the search as easily as anyone else would. Shikamaru, like Minako, never took 'no' for an answer.

"Tch, this is so troublesome, you know. I have to bring you home somehow. If not, both of our asses are on the line. I can't go home until you come with me."

"That's not happening."

"You like it here?"

"No."

"Will you be able to live as Ino Yamanaka here?"

"No, not necessarily."

"Do you have any sort of family here?"

"No."

"Don't you love it back in Konoha? Can you live as Ino Yamanaka there? And most importantly, don't you have family back in Konoha?"

"Yes."

"That should give you plenty of reason to come back to Konoha."

"Whatever you say, I'm not going back."

"Why are you so against going home? Is there something wrong with you? Did you take a hit to the head or something?"

Ino paused, prolonging her answer, but Shikamaru cleared his throat, telling her to get a move on with her answer. She couldn't stall anymore. "I just don't want to go home."

Shikamaru grunted.

"I've finally made enough money to get my own place. It's not all that far from the pub, so I can still work there and go home without having to walk an hour."

He shook his head, clicking his tongue in dissatisfaction. "What's the point of getting a place? You're only going to—"

"You're being a jackass."

Shikamaru chuckled, smiling. That was sometimes he missed hearing every day.

"You're being a bigger jackass than usual, actually," she said, turning to take the stairs back down to the celebration.

She fumed as she descended the rickety, old stairs. The nerve of that guy! Since when did he become so pushy and…annoying. Last time she checked, the pushy and annoying title belonged to Ino and Ino only.

"Ino, Ino, Ino," Shikamaru chanted as he clomped down the steep stairs, trying not to fall face first. "Okay, I'm sorry for being a jerk. Before you walk away again, follow me."

"Again?" Ino felt her impatience boiling.

"It'll be for your benefit, trust me."

"I don't."

"Then, pretend for about twenty minutes."

Shikamaru took her hand, and despite wanting to rip her hand away and beating his head with her fists, she let him hold onto her as he dragged her up more stairs, leading to tunnel at the top of the cavern. Ino stopped, forcing Shikamaru to fall back on his butt.

"I'm not going in there."

"Didn't I tell you to trust me?"

"My mommy told me not to trust people that say 'trust me' a billion times over."

"Since when did you listen to your mother?"

"Since you led me to this ominous tunnel that has my death or a future panic attack written all over it."

Shikamaru barked out a huge laugh. "You think I'm going to kill you or something?"

"That's what Mom says."

"Can you just follow me? Like I said, it'll be for your benefit."

Ino let Shikamaru drag her into the black tunnel, ignoring her heart beat skyrocketing and the nervous sweat pouring from her skin. "How is a panic attack beneficial to me? Tell me, Shikamaru."

Shikamaru didn't answer.

Shining blue crystals imbedded in the cave walls dimly gleamed, acting as a trail to…wherever Shikamaru led her. The noise from the festival diminished into a low hum in the background as the two traveled further through the tunnel. Ino didn't mind Shikamaru's hand wrapped around her own when she had the beautiful blue lights there to distract her. Considering how fast Shikamaru tugged her through the tunnel, she couldn't examine the stone long enough to see what kind of crystal it was.

"Are you having a panic attack yet?"

Ino answered with a detached, "Nope."

"Good to hear."

A while longer, Shikamaru stopped, making Ino bump into his back. She held her breath and jumped back, releasing his hand.

"I want you to close your eyes."

"Not a chance."

"Then face me." Shikamaru faced her, taking her wrist and pulling her in front of him. Ino hated being man handle. Dragged around like a doll pissed her off the most, and Shikamaru damn well knew that. When she opened her mouth to yell at him, her voice simmered down when he placed her hands on her shoulders and started to push her, making her walk backwards.

"I swear if you walk me off a cliff, I'm bringing you down with me."

"Why would I do that?"

"I don't know. You tell me. Why would you do it?"

"You've suddenly gained your confidence back, I see."

Ino kept quiet. She avoided eye contact, but she couldn't help but glower at the mocking smirk playing on his thin lips.

Frigid wind blew her hair in her face and whipped Shikamaru in the face. "You really are going to push me off a cliff, you bastard."

"Ino, I'm not pushing you off a damn cliff. Just turn around."

For the first time in four months, she stood on grass. If Shikamaru didn't stand behind her, she would've kissed the ground and probably rolled around in it. A metal gate the height of two Shikamaru's surrounded the grassy area, prohibiting anyone from being thrown off into the dark chasm below. In other words, it was damn near impossible for Shikamaru to take Ino by the ponytail and fling her off the cliff.

"How did you know this was here?"

"I've been here before. It's better during the day. You can see the ocean and the harbor perfectly from here."

"Then, why take me here now?"

"Well, one, civilians of Section 2 can only enter Section 1 only once a year, which just happens to be only tonight. Two, I want you to hit me, Ino."

"Huh?"

"Hit me," he repeated.

Was this a sort of prank?

"Why would I want to hit you?"

"You're frustrated."

"So that gives me a reason to hit you?"

"Why not?"

So, Ino socked him in the stomach. She noticed how the burden on her shoulders lifted slightly. The stress that built inside her dispersed with every punch she threw at him. Shikamaru just stood there, taking each blow with a straight face. He stared forward, through the chain-linked fence and into the darkness of the night as Ino socked him in the abdomen, sending him onto his back.

Ino collapsed to her knees and wiped the silent tears that flowed down her cheeks as the frustrations escaped her body and mind. She felt a hand on the top of her head as she leaned over to press her forehead against the cool grass, leaving her pouring tears puddle into the grass.

"I'm sorry." Shikamaru kept his eyes down on the grass when Ino looked up at him with makeup smeared across her face and red, swollen eyes. "I guess I don't understand what you're going through, and if you don't want to tell me, that's fine, but I hope you do know that being your teammate and friend, I am here."

Never in her life did Ino expect Shikamaru to be so heartfelt and almost…non-jackass-ish. She could die now, and she would die in peace knowing Shikamaru had a soft side to him. Now, the question was whether she should ruin this genuine moment of Shikamaru's sweetness, or let it continue? He did ruin their last moment….

Ino, even though her heart fluttered in despair and her mind told her not to do it, leaned into Shikamaru's chest and clutched to his shirt. She felt his arm wrap around her shoulder and pulled her closer to his chest. With the last of her tears running down her cheeks, she turned her face into his chest and mumbled, "Thank you."

She could only pray everything went up hill.

Thank you everyone for reading and reviewing and alerting…and all that great stuff.

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