Hello, this is my first fanfic and I want everyone to be great critics and tell me everything that I'm doing wrong. This is going to be Shika+Ino and possibly some more couples. This is mostly going to be from INO's point of view for the first couple chapters than Shikamaru's and it will keep going in that pattern.(I will also be narrating a bit, but you already figured that out.) Well here is the short 1st chapter, hope you like.

Yamanaka Ino woke to birds happily singing in here window. Birds were sitting on a tree right outside her window, freely singing to themselves as they watched the sun rise. Ino threw a pillow at the window, as if she thought her window was open, and frowned when the pillow bounced off the window and landed on the floor. Ino rolled over so she didn't face the birds, mad at them –sub-consciously- for being happy when she wasn't.

It had been a nearly year sense the third hokage died, Sasuke left the village, Naruto went with that sage to train, and worst of all Sakura became the new Hokage's disciple. Ino hated it when Sakura was chosen instead of her, it made her face red with rage. Ino had been basically alone for the past year, she had only gotten 4 missions and they were all C rank for some reason she didn't like missions, but it would have kept her busy if there were more. Team 10 was separated a little while after Shikamaru became a Chunnin. Shikamaru was sent on higher up missions and Choji went on vacation with his family and hasn't come back yet. So Ino was left to train and sit in depression.

Ino got up and threw her pillow back on her bed, as the birds continued to sing. Ino noticed that they were still singing and got angry, she walked over to her window opened it and shouted at the top of her lungs (Which would later cause I tidal wave near the land of waves, LOL, Go back to reading)

"STUPID BIRDS!!!!!!!!"

The birds flew away and the few people that were down on the street looked at her almost like they were afraid of her. Ino frowned and slammed her window shut, making an enormous bang when it hit the wood. Ino stormed to her dresser and pulled out her usual set of clothing, putting her ninja headband carefully on her waist, hanging slightly as usual. Ino then left the room without even brushing her hair! (OMG)

She went into the kitchen and threw, literally, some bread into the toaster. Ino then went to the living room and waited for her toast to get done, and she was about to sit in a chair when her father came in.

"Good morning Princess" Ino's father said in the happiest tone imaginable, which wasn't making Ino very unhappy.

"morning" Ino mumbled dully, crossing her arms and sitting in the chair.

Ino's father stopped in his path, looking troubled, than he asked.

"What's wrong Ino, you've been really quiet lately?"

Ino almost glared, but remembering that it was her father, thought better of it and merely said.

"Nothings wrong, I'm just not so chatty anymore." She said, pasting a fake smile on her face.

Her father frowned, knowing his daughter well, he knew she would never stop talking unless something was wrong so he decided to interrogate her but than he remembered 2 things and said.

"Well, I have to go deliver a message to the Kazekage in the Sand Village, it is something about a peace treaty between Konoha and Suna. I'll be gone for a couple of days…."

He paused to wait for a reply but there wasn't one so he continued.

"...and the Hokage wanted me to give this to you, she said its important."

He handed Ino a letter from the hokage that had her name on it. Ino smiled, for real, for the first time in two months. She couldn't wait to open it and see what important thing the hokage had to tell her. She was about to open it when her father chimed in.

"Well Ino, I have to leave today, so I'll see you in a couple of days, see you later princess."

Ino frowned when he used the Princess name again, but she got up still holding the letter and kissed her father on the cheek as he began to leave the house.

"Bye Daddy" Ino said rather childishly and then she shut the door and began to tear open her letter.

When she opened it up and read it she smiled from ear to ear. The letter read:

Dear Yamanaka Ino,

You have been chosen to help transport an important young boy named Zane to the land of waves. You will accompany Haruno Sakura, Inzuka Kiba, Hyuga Neji, and Nara Shikamaru from the Leaf Village to the Land of Waves. You must be in my office on the 10th of June for a full briefing.

The Hokage,

Tsunade

Ino had goose bumps all over her skin. She was so happy to have a mission after 2 months of sitting around Konoha training. So many thoughts were flying through her mind as she was staring at letter as if it was going to try to escape.

'This is so cool, it's obviously important if they have the Hyuga kid going on the mission, and best of all I'm going to see Shikamaru for the first time in like 6 months….what…why did I just think that…..I didn't think it…it was just my imagination…yeah that's it…and besides, its natural for me to want to see my FRIEND' she thought putting a lot of emphasis on the word FRIEND, no matter how ridiculous that sounded Ino used that as an excuse to herself for thinking about Shikimaru first. Ino than smelt something burning and followed it, as she entered the kitchen, she remembered her toast and ran to the toaster, dropping her already read letter on the counter.

"SHIT!!" she hollered as she unplugged the toaster and flipped it over letting the two completely blackened pieces of toast fall on the counter.

She threw the black bread into the trash and grabbed the letter off the table and figured out how many days until she had to go to the Hokage's office. 4 exactly. She wanted to jump for the sky. Right then, she felt like she could do anything, she went from enhanced depression to full on jumping up and down happiness in just 30 minutes. She ran out the door and started towards Sakura's Home to talk to her about their, well not so much a fight, but more like a…..rivalry that's it, their rivalry. She really didn't want to be bickering with Sakura for the few days that she was going to be happy, so she wanted to make a truths, for now. Ino made her way towards Sakura's home, happily. She was about to run, as to get there faster, but suddenly she couldn't move. Suddenly she heard a partially familiar voice.

"Sorry, but it is too troublesome to catch you when you're running….."

SHIKAMARU: This is troublesome…

ME: Say it, or I'll make Ino hit you and you won't get the pretty blonde….Stares

SHIKAMARU: OK, Please Review and wait patiently for the next Chapter that won't be so boring….there.

ME: Good, here is a cookie. Gives cookie

SHIKAMARU: Mmmmm…

ME: That's right, never mess with the author when you're one of the characters!