Chapter 19

Ino was being troublesome. Almost everyone was today. He didn't care for this annual get together, a celebration of the long standing alliance between the three clans. It was too much, too many people, too much interaction. As the heir, it was expected of him but it was a mind numbing waste of time and yet he had little to no choice. He accepted it but couldn't people try to not be annoying? And what was with the sudden interest in his teammate anyway.

"Stop ignoring me, Shika!"

"Don't call me Shika, troublesome blonde."

"You let Naruto call you Shika!"

"And that would be between him and I."

"Fine, be that way. I was just trying to learn more about your teammate."

"Yea and I'm curious as to why. Why the sudden interest, Ino? What do you really want because if this is just about gossip then you should drop it."

"It isn't about that." 'Not anymore' she thought. "When we were at the academy I told Sakura not to be his friend because he was bad. We were only six and I was going off what everyone said. I didn't know if it was true but I thought I was doing the right thing."

"Why would I care about this?"

"Because he does. I tried to talk to the new girls in his clan and they knew me as the girl that chased his friend away and wouldn't even entertain talking to me beyond that."

"Ok, so then there's nothing to do." Shikamaru said. He knew Naruto likely didn't care, the anecdote more of a reference point than anything else but it wasn't his job to tell her that nor did he really see any benefit to helping her. Ino, frankly, was selfish, vain and self-centered. She wrote Naruto off without knowing him and hadn't become interested until he was acknowledged as a clan heir. Shikamaru knew Naruto had a low opinion of a lot of Konoha's residents and knew why. He couldn't blame his teammate but also wouldn't encourage it. Ino being nakedly two-faced would only be another example to add to the multitude.

"But I want to apologize, to start over."

Shikamaru sighed. He had to be direct, Ino wouldn't get subtle nor would she be led to a conclusion. It had to be blatant. "Why? You didn't care when we formed our teams, you believed he was a loser with practically no evidence. Even when I told you that was wrong you didn't believe me. But now that he's a clan heir and shown some skills you want to make up? Just leave him alone, Ino. There will be plenty of people here. No reason to bother someone you wanted nothing to do with up to five minutes ago."

"So, that's it? I can't change? Can't try to make things right?"

"No, because you haven't changed. Which is fine, no one cares but don't make this out to be something it isn't. That's just too troublesome."

"Wow, way to be a friend, Shikamaru." Ino said in a huff.

"We're friends?" Shikamaru asked, surprised Ino thought they were.

"Of course we are, we've known each other since forever."

"That doesn't make us friends. This is such a drag."

"Fine, then, Shikamaru. Since I'm so horrible I won't bother you, happy?" Ino responded, hands on her hips.

"Not really."

"Asshole."

"You'll get over it."

Ino wanted to respond but saw to figures approaching Shikamaru and her; his teammates. Shino was dressed like the stereotypical Aburame, large jacket, black pants and shades. Naruto was wearing a red, long sleeved, v-neck shirt with black pants and had his hair pulled back in a loose bun. She had to admit the oft maligned man bun worked on him.

"Hi, Shika!" Naruto said with a wave and then peered around him to see Ino there. "Hi, Ino-san!".

"Troublesome."

"H-hello, Naruto-san. Shino." she greeted, a little taken aback at his cheerfulness. "Naruto-san, can I speak to you for a moment?"

"Sure." He responded and followed her away from his teammates. Seeing her look conflicted caused him to drop the formalities "What can I do for you, Ino?"

"I want to apologize, Naruto; for telling Sakura not to be your friend. It was cruel and I thought I was doing the right thing. I'm sorry."

"Oh, has that been bothering you? Of course I forgive you, we were little then."

"Really?"

"Yea. You don't think I'd hold a grudge from something a six year old did to me, didya?" Naruto asked with a grin.

"I wasn't sure." she said and felt much better. "Well, I'm going to let you get back to Shikamaru, thanks Naruto." Ino spoke, walking away.

"No problem." Naruto called back heading over to Shikamaru and Shino.

"Did you resolve your business with her?"

"Yea, but it was weird. Anyway, how are you guys?"

"I am well, Naruto-san. How was your mission to Suna?"

"Fine. Fought a little, ate a little, made some friends."

"Of course you did." Shikamaru muttered, causing Naruto to laugh. The trio prepared them some food and found a place away from the crowds, talking about their training, missions, and Shikamaru's long list of complaints.

"So, I have to get a new vest because of you, troublesome redhead."

"You could use a tighter fit anyway, you should fire your tailor, Shika."

"I know a guy." Shino offered helpfully, with Naruto giving him the thumbs up.

"See, Shino even knows a guy…" Naruto paused to digest Shino's words before exploding, "Why don't I know any guys? I won't let you get ahead of me, Aburame!"

"But I already am. Why? As you have already stated you have no guys. I have plenty and therefore will win."

"Are we really talking about this? Is this really happening?"

"I must request you be silent, Shikamaru-san as Naruto-san is on the cusp of admitting his defeat."

"I admit nothing. Just you wait, I'll have guys and they will be of a superior quality than your guys."

"This argument is stupid. You both have to realize this." Shikamaru said and saw that neither of them were paying attention. "Hey, you troublesome teammates, don't ignore me. You both always get into these weird competitions that don't matter."

"He started it/ It was started by him" they both said. Anyone else would form a sweatdrop but even Shikamaru's sweat thought it was too troublesome.

"Can we get back to the topic at hand?"

"No, Shikamaru-san, we cannot. Not until Naruto-san once again acknowledges his defeat."

"You cheated last time, 'tebayo."

"And the time before that?"

"The challenge was ambiguous!" Naruto said, animatedly, hair flying in all directions.

"Troublesome, you submitted the challenge. How could you confuse yourself?"

"Quite easily, I imagine." Shino answered with the barest hint of amusement.

"Aburame with the dagger."

"You're both bastards, you know that?"

"What's that, I can't hear you from down there." Shikamaru retorted through yawns.

"Shika, you're lying down! Height doesn't even matter when you're lying down."

"Shino, you hear something?"

"It sounds akin to a girlish shriek. Why? Because before a boy's balls drop they may have a high pitched voice."

"Oh, so that's how you want to play it? Fine. I'm throwing a water whip party and you're both invited!" Naruto said, eyes all white and hair formed into nine tail like formations. He instantly formed the water whips and gave chase to his teammates.

"May have pushed it too far this time, Shino. And running is so troublesome." Shikamaru observed while dodging Naruto's whips.

"Such is the price of victory, Shikamaru-san." Shino replied, narrowly avoiding a whip himself.

"Troublesome."

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It was late and he wanted to go home. He'd had a full and stressful day. It was always at this time he wondered if he should just give Tsunade the seat and be done with it. He could still shepherd them through the Ame assault while ceding the day to day work to her. She might not like it, might fight tooth and nail but it'd be worth it to get out of that seat. He wanted to go home but fortune was not on his side.

"Have you lost the rest of that fool mind of yours, Hiruzen?"

"Koharu, ignoring that I'm still the Hokage, what would lead you to talk to me like this?"

"You assigning Anko a mission she, and I quote, "is guaranteed to leave me gutted and rotting in an unmarked grave."

"Anko was being a bit hyperbolic. Besides, I'm sure you both agree with me that we can't let Orochimaru taint Naruto-kun. She can't be allowed to foster darkness within Minato's boy."

"Oh, he's Minato's boy now? And we actually take that into account?"

"We don't need to have that argument to night, Koharu." Homura said, though he too disliked Hiruzen manipulated them. They didn't want to deny Naruto his heritage but were also concerned about his lack of protection and the wave of assassins that may come after Minato's legacy. To know that wasn't Hiruzen's only motivation offended both of them but they'd yet to address it. There seemed to always be something more important to handle.

"Fine, we won't do that tonight but Hiruzen you are making a mistake. And worst yet, you're being obvious and sexist." Seeing his confused face, Koharu continues, "Anko is one of our best kunoichi so you assign her a mission to fuck a child? You would never assign Kakashi to screw a 12 year old girl and we all know that."

"I didn't order her to have sex, seduction doesn't have to end in sex. Even if she just made him fall in love it'd be enough. Did she tell you why I wanted her to do it?"

"Yes, and you're being irrational. Even if she did have designs on Naruto, that's not illegal and we don't act against our shinobi without evidence of wrongdoing. We aren't Danzo." Homura answered.

"Besides, why are you so convinced that she must have ill intentions for Naruto? Why bother coming back here, giving us full access to her own hidden village if she has some dastardly plan? She may be arrogant, all of your students are but she's not stupid so why make this unnecessarily difficult. God knows, Naruto had more than enough incentive to leave the village. She wouldn't have had to try hard to induce him to do so."

"Because it would be her ultimate revenge against Minato and I and is just the sick kind of poetic she likes." Hiruzen defended but saw Koharu wasn't convinced but Homura understood the man's words. Koharu took notice of Homura's expression and realized she was out of the loop.

"What aren't you telling me?"

Hiruzen breathed in deeply before releasing it with a sigh. "For a brief period, Orochimaru and I were having an affair. I sent her to Danzo as a means of ending it, as an attempt to save my marriage and a way of dealing with the guilt of coercing her into getting an abortion." Hiruzen didn't have to wait long for the slap that greeted his confession.

"So, you're one of them? I thought better of you, Hiruzen. I thought you had more integrity and discipline than that."

"I'm sorry I disappointed you but nothing can change what happened and it can't be used as a reason to turn a blind eye to her actions."

"No, but it does add context. I watched that girl grow up, her and Tsunade both. While not a direct sensei, I was proud to have helped in molding them into the stellar kunoichi they became. It hurt me just as much as you when she turned bad. It never made complete sense. She had darkness, she could be sadistic but she always had control. Always. And then out of nowhere she becomes a monster? It never added up, until now. She and in turn the village paid for your wandering dick, HIruzen."

"Yes, it has and I want to rectify that. Don't you see why I need to limit her influence, all of her influence on him?"

"I see an old man overreacting. Or do you just not like Naruto potentially getting something that was once yours."

"I'm not that crass, Koharu. This isn't about some lingering possessiveness."

"Maybe not but we don't see the wisdom in assigning Anko this mission. If you had more evidence or even a better argument but her just being blindly spiteful won't do. And as one of the Daimyo's stipulations, you know we can overrule you if we both agree. We do, Hiruzen, this mission is cancelled." Homura voiced.

"You're both making a mistake."

"Only time will tell but Hiruzen did you ever stop to consider that maybe Naruto could be a good influence on her? Maybe bring back the loyal kunoichi she used to be?" Koharu asked.

"If he were older? Maybe but he's still a child in many respects."

"And that child rallied a nation to fight for itself. He might surprise you, they both may if you give them a chance." She said as both advisors left, leaving the longest serving Hokage to his own thoughts but try as he may, he simply couldn't picture a version of this where Naruto didn't turn out for the worst.