Enjoy even though it's a bit short.
Shikamaru sat down along the edge of training field, as the trees swayed from side to side. The calm cool breeze relaxed his earlier agitation and he turned his head toward where Neji and Tenten were training themselves.
At first, he watched them train, remarking on how well attuned they each were to the other's every movement. Tenten leaped from tree to tree where she would fling her arsenal of weapons toward Neji, who easily deflected her attacks by spinning into his rotation. Weapons littered the ground and the Kuniochi pulled out a random kunai and jumped down to engage in an almost hand to hand combat. Neji twisted and turned and blocked each hit with chakra from his Gentle Fist attacks.
Ever so often, Neji would catch Tenten's arm in a smooth flowing action in order to throw back the attack. But as time dragged by, the attacks of each became less elaborate and more repetitive, even though their movements remained fluid and natural.
Yawning a bit, Shikamaru's eyes started to lower, but he quickly raised them again when he thought he saw Neji do something completely unexpected. He had seen Neji, in the midst of heavy training, lean his head over and place a loving kiss on Tenten's forehead while blocking her weapons as he did so.
"Those two?!" Shikamaru gasped before a quick smirk came over his face, "I never thought those tow had it in them. Good for them."
Shikamaru yawned as he said this last part and settled himself comfortably back against a tree and decided lazily that as long as Neji had the all-seeing Byakugan eye turned on, Shikamaru figured that it would be safe enough for a quick nap.
Sadly he had barely closed his eyes before he was jumbled out of his relaxed position to a highly alert one. Tension was not a great thing to feel but he had to be prepared for the unexpected which lately had been happening one after the other.
"What are you doing here?" exclaimed Tenten holding a sharp long-bladed dagger which curved slightly at the end. She stared straight at Temari who just stood there with her hands holding the large metal fan of hers in front of her body, just in case.
"Oh, it's you," Shikamaru responded blowing out his held in breath as he stood up. Temari rolled her eyes at the barely enthused response and tapped her fingers against her fan.
"So you are the so-called guardian. I was not suspecting someone from the Sand," Neji declared, his eyes flicking from Temari to Shikamaru and back again. He had his arms crossed with a look of aristocratic arrogance coming from his face. Tenten relaxed and placed her weapons back into its pouch.
"What happened?"
"I got attacked by this strange wacky fangirl and if Neji hadn't shown up, I might have not been able to hold my shadow against her," Shikamaru shuddered, trying his best not to think of bad thoughts. That girl might have been pretty, but there had been something in her eyes that spoke of menace mixed with a type of longing. He turned toward Temari and started walking away with her. He stopped and used his signature way of saying good by as he replied, "Well, thanks."
Sakura found her quickly enough, and noted her friends depressed state. Green eyes full of concern, Sakura rushed straight toward Ino and grabbed at her shoulders.
"Ino, snap out of it!" Sakura shouted trying to get rid of that lost pitiful look in Ino's eyes. Those blue eyes were glazed over and she was half-way surprised that Ino focused her own line of vision on her. Inside, Sakura heaved a huge sigh of relief. Ino wasn't that far along.
"Oh, hello, Sakura," Ino whispered softly, still sniffling a bit afterwards, "I hope your hopeful relationships don't turn out as bad as mine. I accused Kankuro of cheating and later found out he had never even done it. Now he's left for the Suna and I can't go after him."
Sakura wondered if she had thought of any other possibilities of talking it out with Kankuro, and decided that Ino probably didn't. So Sakura suggested, "Why not ask Tsunade-Sama to let you go after him?"
"She would never let me do something not related to mission work," Ino moaned placing her head in her hands. Sakura let go of Ino's shoulders and placed shook her finger at Ino in a scolding way.
"Have you forgotten, I'm Tsunade's apprentice? After all these years, I can't believe you forgot!" Sakura cried out, feeling slightly irritated that Ino was this depressed. She knew Tsunade the best and she was determined to get Ino to her cheerful yet charming self. If Tsuande wouldn't allow Ino to go by herself, Sakura would volunteer to go along.
"Oh, that's right!" Ino brightened slightly, almost letting that spark in her eyes flare up for one instance. But they were still dull and sad. Hopefully getting permission from the Hokage to go after Kankuro would help out and get her back to normal.
"Come on! If we don't hurry, Kankuro will get too far ahead," Sakura stated picking up speed, as Ino hurried along beside her. Ino had a determined expression back on her face and decided to show it.
"See there! I'm not giving up on you yet, Kankuro!" Ino shouted out loud, without noticing. Sakura just shook her head and continued to run with enhanced chakra speed. Sometimes she believed that she would never quite understand Ino. After all, Ino had her own personal individuality.
Please review. It helps me work harder.