The Fifth Hokage sat in the lowest branch of a giant oak tree. Her legs dangled over the edge, casting long shadows in the morning light. The sun still was beginning to rise behind Hokage Mountain. It felt strange to her, seeing her face carved beside the great ninja of the past; still she smiled at her stony features. She sighed, waiting to meet with a certain lazy ninja.

It had been close to two years since Asuma's death, Tsunade remembered it well. She had only been Hokage for a few short years then, but luck had seemed to shine on her reign. There hadn't been one single threat, or compromising situation. All had been going so well. The young ninja of the Hidden Leaf had all since graduated to Chunin level, except for Naruto that is. But Tsunade couldn't blame him. He was gone, training with her old teammate and fellow Sannin Jiraiya. In fact, it wasn't until Naruto returned to the village, that disaster decided to strike.

For the Fifth, Asuma's death had symbolized the calm before the storm; her luck was about to change. Everything had gone too well for lady Tsunade. It represented the beginning of a hurricane of tragedy. Next would come the great battle of Konoha, and along with it, Jiraiya's death.

But it wasn't the loss of Asuma Sarutobi that had caused lady Tsunade's heart to fill with unease almost two years ago. It was the change in Shikamaru Nara. She had come to regard Shikamaru with high respect, a stand out amongst his peers. He had the makings of a great leader. He was a master strategist and loyal friend, always putting the lives of his comrades before his own. Even though he had many faults, and was often criticized for not having enough motivation, Tsunade knew that Shikamaru was a noble shinobi worthy of any mission. Shikamaru's intelligence was truly amazing, but it was his heart that set him on a whole other level.

After the death of his sensei, Shikamaru took it upon himself to visit Kurenai everyday, even becoming a sort of father figure to Asuma Jr. who would never know his own father. It meant more to Kurenai than Shikamaru would ever know. Tsunade knew, as it was her who personally tended to Kurenai in the hospital. His devotion wasn't only because of the promise he made Asuma that day. He was there for her, everyday for a year because he could empathize with her pain.

He tried to imagine what it must have been like for her to lose Asuma. His heart ached as he put himself in her shoes. What would he do if it had been the one he loved who had died?

It made him sick remembering every heart stopping moment, waiting for Ino to return safely to her body on the battlefield. Every time he held her in his arms it was bittersweet. He longed for it, getting to touch her and hug her close to his body. Yet on the other hand, there was fear. Ino had told him once, that even in perfect conditions, her mind transfer jutsu could fail. Her ability was powerful, but dangerous; and not only on that level, but many others.

It forces her own body to become doll-like and vulnerable, basically an empty shell. If that were all, Shikamaru was sure he could protect her, even if it meant sacrificing himself in the process. But he knew that beyond those limitations, Ino's jutsu was like a double-edged sword. Whatever happened in her opponent's body, happened to Ino. That factor made every battle with Ino by his side a gamble. The worst part was, he wasn't playing with his own life on the line; he was betting with hers. Every time he strategized using her in play, he had to prepare himself for the worst. Shikamaru knew that in war, like a game of shogi, a good general should be able to make calculated risks for the sake of the mission. But a risk was still a risk, and Shikamaru just couldn't do it, not anymore, not with her.

"Ino, hurry up and get back in your body!" Shikamaru would say to her, knowing that there was a possibility that one day, she wouldn't return at all.

It was his gentle heart that had first caught the Fifth Hokage's eye. She had seen how merciless Shikamaru could be towards his enemies. Tsunade had heard about the details of Team Ten's revenge match, learning first hand that Shikamaru could be dangerously motivated if pushed too far. She didn't expect him to act so rashly. In all her time knowing the Nara boy, he had always seemed so relaxed and reluctant to do anything. He had a sort of calculating aura about him, as if he were sizing you up upon meeting you. She liked this sort of levelheaded attitude he had. It was refreshing. He was one less shinobi she had to worry about.

That's how she thought, at least before he recklessly left with his teammates to avenge his master. Asuma's death had awakened something troubling in Shikamaru, something that threatened to cloud his judgment. This once unfeeling boy had been broken, and now Tsunade feared that he was beyond help. His heart had made a complete one eighty. It went from being cold and unfeeling, to warm and heartbroken in one short day. He was changed.

This problem seemed to becoming more and more apparent to the Goddaime. She noticed that his mood of late had been unpredictable and uncharacteristically sour, even for Shikamaru. The poor Yamanaka girl had been getting the worst of it though, Tsunade reflected as she rested her head against the trunk of the giant oak. 'But then maybe,' Tsunade thought to herself. 'Maybe we always hurt the ones we love.' A ghost of a smile remained on her face as the figure of someone familiar approached the oak tree.

"Okay, that's all I have to say. Do you understand exactly what you have to do?" The Fifth Hokage tilted her head towards her companion. The young shinobi closed his eyes for a couple of seconds, taking in the information.

"Yes, I understand." Shikamaru opened his eyes, staring up at the clouds overhead, wishing he could join them. He tugged his vest closer to his chest; the morning air was still cold. He started shaking a little as he slipped his hands into his pockets.

"Cold?" Tsunade observed, raising her eyebrows.

"A little bit." Shikamaru quietly omitted, lowering his eyes. It was cold out, but more than anything, Shikamaru's nerves were responsible for the shaking. Tsunade watched him carefully; it wasn't like him to look so unsteady. It bothered her more than she liked. She sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Don't worry, we'll be going soon." Tsunade placed her hands on her hips, watching the teenager shift his balance uncomfortably. He nodded, barely concealing the feeling of terror growing inside of him.

"Sure." He whispered, unwilling to move from his spot under the oak tree's long protective branches. His unease was contagious, forcing the Hokage to speak.

"Shikamaru… one last thing before we pick up Miss Yamanaka.'" Tsunade began. Shikamaru twitched at the mention of her name. 'I don't think I need to tell you this, you're a sensible young man… but I feel that I should anyways." She hesitated too long, causing Shikamaru's heart to sink.

"What is it?" Shikamaru was afraid of the answer, closing his hands into fists deep inside his pockets.

"Mr. Nara, on this mission, don't… '" Tsunade looked away from him, feeling slightly uneasy. 'Fall in love with Ino Yamanaka." Shikamaru's face paled, his stomach twisting painfully. The logical half of his mind wanted to smirk defiantly at the Fifth Hokage, washing away her suspicions. But he knew all too well that it was too late for her concerns. He was too far-gone, trapped in her talons, dying slowly from a broken heart. He had already made the mistake of falling in love with Ino Yamanaka. All he could do was nod his head, grateful for the dim light of the early morning. Shikamaru cleared his throat.

"That… won't be a problem.'" Shikamaru grumbled, agitated at his inability to remain calm. The Goddaime had touched a nerve without realizing it. Shikamaru grimaced, forcing a bitter smile through his teeth, reassuring the Hokage. 'Ino… she pretty much hates me." He didn't realize how much those words would hurt him. But as they passed through his lips he felt them weigh heavily in his chest, crushing his lungs. The truth behind those words was suffocating him. It was as if admitting it out loud had confirmed everything. His empty fears had all at once solidified, turning the silhouette of his nightmare from a harmless shadow into a living, breathing monster of doubt.

Tsunade smiled warmly at Shikamaru's cold statement. She was relieved by his words, knowing their mission wouldn't be in jeopardy. But on the other hand, there was something almost tragic about the look in his dark young eyes. Yes he was smiling, but Tsunade noticed the gesture was empty. Behind his smile was nothingness. This hollow expression pulled at her heart, urging her to change the conversation. Perhaps he was right about Ino, perhaps she did hate the boy. But Tsunade couldn't help but feel that if anything else, Shikamaru didn't hate her back. Not even a little bit, not at all.

If it was only the hollow concerns of the Fifth Hokage that Shikamaru and Ino had to unknowingly worry about, then maybe their subconscious selves would be feeling more secure at the present. However, as they walked out of the hotel lobby and into the daylight of the late morning, they couldn't help but feel slightly unsettled. Both of them were uncomfortably aware that nearly everyone in the Village Hidden in the Leaves was probably busy gossiping about them.

Ino's ears twitched as they slipped behind a tree to change. Perhaps Shikamaru would have felt the same way if it were his best friend prattling about them behind his back. Fortunately for Ino and Shikamaru, Choji was still in bed. Without his teammates around, he had little to wake up for. With no responsibilities, Choji had more time to do what he wanted, sleep and eat. This fact would normally have caused Ino to get annoyed, yelling at him to train. But since she was out with Shikamaru in a completely foreign nation, alone, she was glad Choji was probably still asleep. He'd be one less person to come in contact with Sakura.

"Hey… um, Shikamaru?'" Ino whispered to the brunette as she slipped into her purple uniform. 'You don't think… do you, do you think Sakura said anything to anyone?" Ino's eyes darted nervously to his as he zipped up vest. They had both successfully changed from their mock formal wears to their signature ninja attire, switching into the first phase of their mission. Shikamaru's brow crinkled a little as he quickly thought things through. Logically, it wouldn't matter if she had. They were only together for 'missionary' purposes. Shikamaru's thoughts hesitated, smiling on the word missionary. Although, his smirk quickly washed away, he knew well enough that girls were anything but logical. She'd read into things, and be right of course, but that didn't matter. The fact was, she definitely would say something.

"I don't know." Shikamaru replied a little less confidently than he liked. He scowled slightly; dreading the walk home after the mission was over. He hated attention of any kind, let alone the teasing he knew he'd get from his peers. Worse was knowing exactly how Ino's parents would react. Shikamaru shuddered at the thought of her father. He silently hoped that Sakura had enough decency to mind her own business and not gossip. Sakura of course, had other plans.

"Naruto!'" Sakura waved warmly at her teammate from across the street, running to join him. 'Hey Naruto! Wait up!" Sakura had been up very early, waiting for him at his favourite training field. Of course, he wasn't there; he was too busy arguing with Kiba over a bowl of ramen, talking about who could down the most bowls in ten minutes. After he was done there, he wandered over to the academy to visit with Iruka sensei; staying to brag about the latest missions he had been on. Poor Sakura had spent most of the morning trying to hunt him down; there were things they needed to talk about.

"S-sakura chan?" Naruto gaped happily in her direction, his proverbial tail wagging wildly. Never in all the time that Naruto had known Sakura Haruno did she ever seem so eager to see him.

"Haaa… I finally found you!'" Sakura sighed happily as she stopped in front of her blond teammate. The look on his face grew from shy happiness to overwhelmingly ecstatic in the short time it took Sakura to finish her tired response.

"You were looking for me?" Naruto's voice cracked a semitone higher than usual, causing his pink haired friend to stare questioningly at him.

"Yes… actually… I've been out for most of the day looking for you." Sakura shifted her feet impatiently. Naruto blinked a few times.

"But Sakura… it's still morning… the day's just begun.'" He grinned at her, scratching his neck. 'I mean, how could you have spent 'the whole day' looking for me when it's still morning?" He peered down at her, the grin still plastered to his face. The vein in Sakura's forehead twitched angrily as her 'inner self' surfaced.

"Moron!'" She punched him hard in the shoulder, making him whine like a dog. 'The day only seems new to you because you sleep in and waste it! I've been up for hours already!" She hit him again, emphasizing her point.

"Okay! Okay! No need to hit me Sakura chan…" Naruto smiled nervously at her, waiting for another round. She mumbled the word 'knucklehead' under her breath before continuing with her purpose.

"Anyways Naruto… I was looking for you because I thought maybe we could… go someplace and talk for a while.'" Sakura hesitated; a faint layer of blush tinting her face. 'You know… alone." Naruto's eyes widened, his smile fading into a look of shock.

"You mean… just the two of us?" Naruto whispered, his eyes turning round.

"That is what alone means…'" Sakura muttered, agitated. 'Idiot."

"Yes! Wahooo! A date… we're going on a date!" Naruto jumped up and down, grinning madly. Sakura's face twisted into a mortified frown. She clearly hadn't thought things through.

"Naruto please don't make a big deal out of this.'" She growled, snatching his wrist to keep him from bobbing around. 'I never said we were going on a date. We're just going to talk… understand?" Sakura raised her eyebrows dangerously, looking possessed. Naruto knew better than to argue with her; they would just talk. Inside his mind however, Naruto was throwing a fit; whatever it was that Sakura needed to talk about had to be important.