Thursday, February 8, 2007

Story
Why Shikamaru is lazy

Shikamaru sighed as he looked up at the clouds. He was lying down lazily and felt very bored. No training, no Choji, even Ino wasn’t around to bother him. He turned to his side and dozed off.

When Shikamaru opened his eyes, he saw some familiar, peppy blue eyes staring down at him. “What is it, Ino?” Shikamaru asked lazily, not bothering to get up.

Ino blinked. “Shikamaru, why are you so lazy?”

“Wha?!” Shikamaru was taken aback by Ino’s question. “Why do you ask?”

Ino shrugged. “I was just wondering…...I mean, you’re so smart that I thought you would be a ninja sooner then this. Or at least on a better team.” She rolled her eyes.

Shikamaru gave one of his lazy sighs. “How did you know I was smart? I never showed you or Choji. I only play Go and Shogi with Asuma-sensei.”

“During the first part of the Chunin exam, when I took over your body I saw all the answers right there!” Ino said simply, patting Shikamaru on the back. “I didn’t tell anyone because we didn’t have time!! Shikamaru, c’mon!! Tell me or else I’ll tell Asuma-sensei that you stole his cigarettes!!”

Shikamaru’s eyes shot up. “Damn woman, so troublesome” he muttered. “Fine, I’ll tell you”

Ino smiled. “Thanks, Shika-kun!”

Shikamaru sighed. “Yeah, whatever. Just don’t call me that. Ever. It all started four years ago…….”

Shikamaru smiled. He had finally entered the Ninja academy, and was ready to kick some butt!

Shikamaru’s hair wasn’t tied in a ponytail. It was cut short and his eyes were bigger, more curious then their state in the present.

“Hey Onee-chan!!!” Shikamaru shouted, waving his arms. “I’m finally gonna beat you! I’m gonna graduate from here soon!!”

An older girl smiled. She had, black hair tied in a high pony…..Same as Shikamaru!

“Wait a second!!” Ino interrupted. “I didn’t know you had a sister!”

Shikamaru groaned. “Why do you think I don’t want to tell you, troublesome woman?”

“WHATEVER!” Ino exclaimed. “This is getting good! On with the story!”

Chibi Shikamaru looked up at his older sister. “Big sis, I AM gonna beat you!” He exclaimed.

The girl smiled. “Good luck.” She said warmly. “But you better catch up quick. I’m already a graduate.” She showed her little brother her headband, which was latched firmly around her waist.

Shikamaru looked at it in awe. “No way, sis!” He exclaimed. “You can’t be a ninja already!”

His sister smiled. “Sorry Shika-kun.” She took her hair out of the pony, shaking it out. Her hair went down to her shoulders.

Shikamaru sighed. “Aw man.” He said quietly. “I wanted to beat you so badly.”

His sister was quiet for a minute. Then she grinned. “Hey, Shika-kun.” She said causally. She handed the hair band to Shikamaru. “I’ll make you a bet.” She kneeled, getting to about Shikamaru’s height. “I bet you can’t graduate here in a year.”

“Yes I can!” Exclaimed Shikamaru. “I will get out of here in one year!”

“Well.” She said. “If you graduate in one year, I promise to fight you. And whoever wins will be stronger. I’ll give you my hair band as a promise. When you beat me, give it back, OK?”

Shikamaru nodded. “OK.” He started to walk to the academy. “I’ll see ya, sis.” He gave a half-wave.

His sister smiled. “See ya, Shikamaru. You better wear that hair band!”

“I will!”

“I don’t get it.” Ino said. “You’re still wearing the pony. Did she beat you?”

“That’s not exactly the case.” Shikamaru said. His eyes seemed a little glazed.

“So, what happened?” Ino asked, confused.

Shikamaru wiped his face. His eyes were red and his breath was shaky. “Our parents never really got along.” He said gravely. “My sister didn’t like it. They were always fighting and going on. Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore. She ran away.”

Ino looked on, waiting.

Shikamaru ran outside. “Sis!!!!” he yelled to the trees. “Where are you??” Tears rolled down his cheeks. He wiped them vigorously. “Come back!” he shouted. “You pr-promised!!!” He yelled with all his might. “You’re a liar! Jerk! I wanted to fight you and you ran away like a coward!! I want to be stronger then you!”

Ino looked, shocked, at her teammate. “So she ran away? A missing nin?”

Shikamaru shook his head. “No. She didn’t get far.” He said shakily. “They found her headband just outside the village, covered in blood. They knew it was hers, because she wrote her name on the back.” Shikamaru closed his eyes. “K-e-i-k-o.”

Ino looked at him, waiting for more.

Shikamaru finally opened his eyes, looking at the ground. “The only reason I entered the academy was because I wanted to be stronger then my sister. After the news, well, I couldn’t bring myself to do anything. I lost the bet.” He chuckled a little. “It took me four years to graduate. That’s how long it took me to figure out that Keiko wanted me to graduate so we could hang out more. And she knew she was going to die, too. That’s why-” Shikamaru pulled out his hair band, letting his hair flow down his head. “-she gave this to me.”

“S-S-Shika-k-kun….”

“I told you not to call me that.” Shikamaru looked up to see Ino crying. “I-Ino?! What are you--?”

Ino cut off Shikamaru with a hug. “S-S-Shikamaru…….”

“What, Ino?” Shikamaru asked softly.

“Y-y-you must of (hic) been so sad!”

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. “Well, duh, but---.”

Ino sobbed. “I-I-I never knew!!!” she cried.

Shikamaru sighed, then hugged Ino a little. “Allright, allright, I get it. You’re sad. I’m sorry I made you cry…..”

Ino sniffed. “N-no-no you didn’t…….I-I’m sorry I never k-k-knew…..”

Shikamaru sighed. “And this is why I didn’t want to tell anyone, folks.” He said, waving his arms in the air. “I got enough of that when she died.” He let go of Ino, who wiped her face vigorously.

Ino looked at Shikamaru. “Shikamaru, your sister wore her headband around her waist?”

Shikamaru nodded. “Yeah. You kind of remind me of her”

Ino frowned. She took her headband from her waist and put it around her neck.

“What are you doing, Ino?” Shikamaru asked.

“Shikamaru, I hurt you every time you look at me!” Ino yelled. “Why didn’t you tell me to put my headband somewhere else?!”

Shikamaru smiled. “Because you remind me of her. I slacked off all the time because Keiko wasn’t around. But when I met you, I started getting a lot more active. I’ve always wanted you watching me, because I always wanted my sister to watch me in action.”

Tears appered in Ino’s eyes.

Shikamaru sighed. “Oh boy….” He muttered. “Look Ino, I won’t mention my sister again, OK?”

Ino glomped Shikamaru. “It’s ok, Shikamaru!” she said. “I’m just so happy!”

***************************************************
5 years later

Ino scrimmaged through the array of pictures and albums. “Why do I have to rummage and fix everything?” She muttered. “I mean, he did move into my house……” she stopped. “What’s this…..?” she asked herself, picking up a small photo.

It was a pretty girl with black eyes and black hair tied in a pony. Ino smiled. “So this is her.” She said quietly, smiling. “This is Keiko…….” She looked up, smiling at the sky. “So you’re watching Shika-kun, aren’t you…….? Thanks for such a cool boyfriend, Keiko. I wish I could meet you.”

-----------------------------FIN.

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