The Troublesome Sensei
A future-ficlet by Sempaiko
Roughly ten years in the future (depending on where in the series you are) –basically making the rookie 9 about 23-24 years old. Three young Konoha Genins are assigned to a Jounin to begin their training. This sensei is none other than the lazy Nara Shikamaru himself! The students don't know what to do with this 'troublesome' sensei and decide to figure him out a little better –and maybe even loosen him up. Fun ensues! (don't get mad at the OCs –I had to make them, I'm sorry! I am usually weird about OCs.) (minor Shika X Ino eventually).
Genins: Ryo, Ken, and Chika
Chapter 1 – Too Troublesome
The fifth Hokage stared into the eyes of the young pink-haired woman before her. Of course with pink hair, the young woman could be none other than Haruno Sakura.
Sakura had grown into her body in the last ten years, becoming quite a radiant woman. Her hair was slightly longer than her younger days, and almost always in a hair clip, the tresses spiked up in the back. She wore her usual dress –which consisted of a tight, black turtleneck shirt and green combat pants. Her green eyes were now smaller, but still had a youthful enthusiasm that Tsunade sometimes envied.
Tsunade had aged herself, but still showed her usual illusion of youth, minus two small streaks of white hair on either side of head. Without a blink of her eyes, she continued the staring contest she was having with her former apprentice.
She could practically feel the agitated air about Sakura, and raised a thin eyebrow as if allowing her to speak.
Sakura closed her eyes, as if accepting this silent approval to begin her rant. "I don't think this is a good idea." She said simply, and crossed her arms, backing away from her desk.
Tsunade let a smirk tug at her lips. "Is that all?" She asked, knowing full well that it wasn't.
"It's bad enough he became a Jounin in the first place. According to you, he barely made it; and only on account of his intelligence and strategy. The man is smart, I give you that, but sometimes he acts like the same 12 year old rookie we all knew too well for being lazy –calling everything too 'toublesome' to bother with. I don't think I've ever seen him in a hurry to do anything, let alone bother writing reports –which by the way he hasn't finished from his last mission..."
Tsunade gave a questioning look.
"...a month ago!" Sakura paced once about the room before coming back to her desk and slapping her hand on the surface –aiming to be gently assertive, but ending up making the scrolls on top bounce. "He's going to be in charge of three children! This is unlike any other of his responsibilities."
"He's a Jounin now Sakura. He should be able to handle it; he has one of the highest percentages for accomplished missions. He's the one that participated in the Jounin exam and was promoted; he had to have earned that for a reason. But there is more to it than that."
Sakura looked a bit puzzled.
Tsunade continued on. "We all know his one weakness is his laziness. Maybe having this extra set of responsibilities will break his weakness. Children are different than paperwork."
Sakura took the words but it still wasn't quite registering in her stubborn mind. She looked away, a sudden worried expression on her face.
"What's the real reason you're upset Sakura?"
Sakura sighed and looked back at her former sensei. "I'm more worried about the three kids he's going to have as subordinates. With a teacher like him, who knows what their fate will be. I just don't want to see them hurt or injured... or worse yet..." She gave a small giggle. "...or worse yet, he'll rub off on them, and we'll end up with three more lazy ninjas."
Tsunade allowed herself to laugh along with her, but a seriousness crossed her face. "He didn't always used to be this way, you know. For a time, I wondered if the rumors about him were true –you know- his laziness."
Sakura looked away, a little bit of sadness on her face. "He only reverted after..." Sakura paused, remembering the past. "...after Asuma and her... were gone..." Sakura faded into a small silence. The quietness was too much for Sakura and remembering the past was a hard thing to do lately. She tried to lighten the mood. "I'm just worried for the kids. Laziness is a bad thing for the kids to be picking up on, especially from a supposed role model."
Tsunade smirked. "I didn't think of that, Sakura. Maybe I ought to talk to Naruto about it..."
Sakura smiled, then she seemed to realize something she forgot. "Gah! Sorry, I've got to go. I promised Chika I'd be there for it!" She turned and hurried to the door. Before she left she stopped and turned back to Tsunade. "Sorry about all that! I hope your plan works by the way!"
"I hope so too." Tsunade watched her leave and looked down at the current page of the squad book she had been delivered. It had all the new additions and all the new squads getting ready to be assembled.
And the page she was on held the names and faces of the ones in squad 111. The recent picture of the Jounin made her smile again. He truly did look lazy and grumpy at the world. And below him were the three youthful faces of his new squad.
She circled a long, red fingernail around the picture of the girl with the dark pink hair. Haruno Chika. If she remembered her geneology correctly, that was Sakura's younger cousin.
That was the real other reason to Sakura's rash behavior. She was worried about her cousin being taken under the wing of Konoha's laziest genius ninja...
Nara Shikamaru.
Uzumaki Naruto watched his students, or now former students, line up outside the school with their parents and other guardians around them. He was proud of them. It was truly a happy, bright and sunny Konoha day. It was days like these it paid to be a leaf ninja.
There was a sudden crash and people screaming behind him. Smoke wafted from behind a bush in the school's courtyard.
Naruto's eyes narrowed. The cheerful, fox face fell into a typical 'not again' look that dripped with frustration. Did he even need to look behind him to know who it was? Gods, was he ever this much of a trouble maker when he was their age?
He remembered the paint-stained faces of the Hokage Monuments.
Okay, maybe he was.
I am deinfately going to buy Iruka ramen next time I see him, he thought as he drifted back to the present.
Forcing his neck to turn, Naruto's gaze landed on a particularly innocent looking, charred face of one of his –he hated to say it, given his past- worst students. Well, he was considered 'worst' because of his lack of control and attention –not according to his abilities. The boy was quite good, but his wandering mind made him a trouble-maker.
"Naruto-sensei! Heh eheh, it was an accident you see. I didn't mean to."
"Ryo. What happened?" Naruto asked stiffly.
The young boy chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand. He began to give a long winded explanation of why the smoke bombs went off prematurely and...
Naruto had always compared Ryo to being a strange mix between his old friend Sasuke and himself, actually. Ryo had dark raven-black hair, sticking up wildly with two long strands on either side of his face. His skin was a healthy tan –probably from all the time he spent outside. He had dark eyes, but they were big and full of spirit. He wore his new ninja head-piece lopsided ontop of his forehead, almost covering one of his eyes.
He was pretty much average when it came to academics, but he was exceptional with other skills –like the actual fighting and acting on instinct. His go-to attitude was going to be a must for any team. Especially because... Naruto's thoughts wandered to who was going to be Ryo's sensei from now on; and truthfully he didn't know how to feel about that.
Yeah... go-to attitudes were going to be needed big time for someone like their future teacher, at least that was a give-in.
...and Ryo had apparently finished his speech and was now staring at his dazed-out sensei. "Naruto-sensei? Are you listening? You know it was an accident? You're letting me go free? Okay, see you later!" He sprinted off, leaving Naruto there, still dazed out.
Did he mention the boy could be quick-witted when he wanted to be.
Sakura walked up behind Naruto and patted him on the shoulder. "He won't be your student after today, so don't worry so much." She said and felt his shoulders slump lower.
"I'm worried about that too." He turned to look at her and she saw his face brighten up slightly at her presence. "Sakura!" He gave her a small hug and saw Chika next to her.
The young girl looked much like what Sakura did at her age, but with darker pink hair. Her long hair was tied in two tails in back of her head. Her own ninja band was tied around her forehead –tied perfectly and aligned straight. Her blue eyes were calm and yet he could tell she was agitated. She was watching the trail of smoke Ryo had left.
"I swear, whoever gets him as a team-mate is going to be sorry." She said, with her arms crossed.
Naruto and Sakura exchanged a look.
"So, how are you doing Chika? Glad to be graduated now?" Naruto asked, and the young girl looked up at him and smiled brightly.
"Of course Naruto-sensei, but then again, I won't have you for a teacher anymore. Any idea who will be our new teacher now? Or who's in my team?"
"Heheh heh, I know, but I can't tell you until this afternoon. Sorry."
"I hope I get a good Jounin for my sensei. Like Neji-sama or Kiba-sama, or even the great Lee-sama, or anyone else like that. I can't wait!" She tugged at Sakura's arm. "Do you know who I got, cousin Sakura?"
Sakura sweatdropped and laughed nervously. "I'm afraid I have to keep silent about it too."
"Aww." She pouted and pulled her along again. "C'mon, let's go back so I can show you my transformation jutsu!" Sakura was pulled along and she waved a farewell to Naruto, mouthing she would talk to him later.
He nodded and watched her go, but then spotted a boy in the quad's large tree. Naruto's face saddened. It was Ken. The boy had been sitting there the whole time of the after-graduation ceremony.
Naruto knew what it felt like –all those years ago. Then again, Ken had parents... they were just away on a mission –being both ninjas themselves.
Ken was an average student with average grades and skill. He was usually just pretty... well, bland –in Naruto's opinion. Sometimes he would forget about him in class, and suddenly he would be there, practicing with the other students, as if he popped out of nowhere.
Well, at least he has a ninja's stealth, Naruto thought.
He walked up to the tree and looked up at the boy's face. Ken was mid-sized, a little shorter than Ryo –who was tall for his age. Ken also had dark reddish-brown hair, tied back in a loose pony tail low to his head. He wore small, round glasses that accented his brown, narrow eyes. His forhead protector was worn around his left arm (Naruto noted was just like his parents).
Those eyes looked down on Naruto and a small smile crept on his face. "Hello Naruto-sensei."
Naruto smiled back and transferred up on the branch next to him. He sat himself down and turned to Ken and placed a rough hand on his head, giving it a nice rustle, messing up his hair-do. And even though it was all messed up, Ken just smiled and patted his messy hair back down.
"So Ken... how's it feel to be graduated?"
"It's a little scary to tell you the truth. I don't know if I'm gonna like going on missions." He replied.
"Oh c'mon! It's gonna be fun! You're gonna love it! Being a ninja is what makes the world awesome and a great place to live in. It's the best job out there –full of action, adventure, mystery, horror, romance, eh... did I leave out any more categories?"
"You sound like you're listing off movie genres." Ken said, deadpan.
"Lighten up, Kenny! Come with me," he gave a laugh, "I'll buy you some ramen." Naruto saw the boy's small smile get slightly bigger and he nodded. Naruto felt weird. Here he was buying someone else ramen... well, he was going to have to get used to it, because he owed a bowl or two to Iruka already.
Naruto and Ken sat at the ramen stand slurping up hot bowls of ramen. Naruto was on his second as he observed Ken blowing on the noddles to cool them down. By now, Naruto had a pretty strong tolerance to hot foods, and his tongue was a pro at handling it.
"So, who do you think's going to be on your team?" Naruto asked, between bites.
"Well... I figure with me being so... I don't know, ordinary, they'll have to pair me with someone extraordinary. My guess would be uh... someone like Chika –for her intelligence and Chakra control, and uhh... probably someone else like Ryo, because of his skill and... enthusiasm. That's my guess."
Naruto had almost choked on his ramen, but played it off as an extra loud slurp. He cleared his throat and laughed. "Wow, Ken, you're really good at guessing."
Ken blinked, staring at his teacher, who was laughing nervously. "I guess." He replied before digging back in.
He leaned in close to Ken as he finished his bowl. "I'll let you know, because you already guessed... that's your team. You, Ryo and Chika."
Ken went wide-eyed and his mouth hung open slightly. "Really?"
"Why the scared look, Ken, you're the only one who knows out of all the students."
"It's just that... Ryo... does scare me sometimes." He said, worried.
"Scares you? How?"
"He's so... hyper. Like he's had one too many strong teas or something. Where does he get all that energy? And Chika... well, she's just a snobby bookworm that likes to yell a lot. I don't know, I'm just afraid I won't have a quiet life any more."
Naruto took all this in, and suddenly grinned wide and slapped Ken on the back. "I like your honesty! You're a truthful person, Ken." He leaned in close again and half-whispered, "And so, officially, between you me and the ramen stand –you are going to be team leader. The others may not call you that, but I believe there will come a time and place that they will need you more than they know. You just watch."
Ken blinked, a little taken aback by the title Naruto and the ramen stand had just given him.
"But what about our team's teacher? What about our future sensei- won't he choose that for us, or not let us have leaders or whatnot?" Ken asked, and emmediately saw a change in his face.
Naruto's gaze became small and he almost looked like he had a bad taste in his mouth, but was trying to hide it. "I don't think you have to worry too much about your future sensei, Ken, at least regarding choices."
Nara Shikamaru laid on the grass of his favorite hill, watching the clouds roll by. So relaxing, especially after the Jounin exams. It was tough work, and honestly he didn't figure he'd actually become a Jounin, but here he was.
Yep, here he was, a Jounin –which meant better pay (that was good), which meant harder missions (that was troublesome), which meant better living though (that was good), which meant hopefully bringing home a date (really good) without worrying about the roommate (that was very troublesome), then again when was the last time he ever brought someone home, let alone had a date at all?! (too troublesome... dammit!)
He suddenly remembered he had had a date, and even brought someone home, but that was so long ago. It made him remember sadder days and how many people he had lost along the way. The one woman he really truly had a connection with... was gone, forever. It was years ago, he had shed his tears, and liked to think he was over it, over her, but it was hard reminding himself sometimes.
Pondering about such things was indeed giving him a headache and adding on to his thought-processes when all he should be doing at the moment was relaxing in the warm sun, watching a blue sky and white clouds.
He sighed and closed his eyes, trying to catch a late afternoon nap.
Then a shadow moved across his figure. Should he even bother opening his eyes? No, he could already sense who it was –that and the sound of crunching could be heard.
"Chouji." Shikamaru groaned. "You're in the light." He said, and without opening his eyes, felt the warmth of the sun again and a slight shift in wind as his friend sat down next to him.
A small silence passed.
"Hey, Shikamaru... don't you think you should be somewhere?" Chouji replied, and looked down at his friend, who had his arms behind his head, and his eyes still closed.
Chouji had aged, along with his friend. Shikamaru had grown taller and wiry, his features more matured and his hair longer, but still managed up into that pineapple shape he was slowly getting teased about among the other ninjas their age. It not only made him look taller, but had a tendancy to stick out in crowds –so the other ninjas had begun to name it as his trademark.
Chouji had grown a lot too, and filled nicely into his body. He was still big, but most of it was muscles and a small beer belly. He had grown a small goatee that slightly resembled his parted hair atop his head.
"Shikamaru... somewhere?" Chouji repeated and finally saw the small, dark eyes of Shikamaru open.
"Somewhere? I don't think so."
Chouji all but banged his head against his palm, but patience was a virtue –and he was the master by now with being friends with Shika for so long. He munched on a chip, to ease his hidden nerves, and tried again.
"Don't you have somewhere to be, people to meet, ninja to train?"
Shikamaru squinted, then finally looked over at Chouji. "That's not today. I've got a whole week. I marked it on my calendar."
Chouji thought about Shika's calendar on his wall last time he was in his apartment.
"You lazy bum! You forgot to take down last years calendar again! Of course the dates are going to be off. Geeze, Shika you really need to get a girlfriend." Chouji said the last part almost as an after thought.
Shikamaru tensed, even though his mind told him not to. "What's a girlfriend have to do with calendars being a year late?" He grumbled, sitting up from the ground.
Chouji just smiled at his confused, little friend. "Just forget it and get to the school. You're a Jounin now, and that qualifies you for your own team, aren't you excited? You'll know what Asuma felt like ten years ago with us!"
Shika didn't look too enthused. "Great. Maybe I'll take up smoking like Asuma too."
"No, it'd be too troublesome for you to keep up with buying packs and having a working lighter with you. You're better off staying away from any of that stuff! Which by the way, you're being forced into said 'stuff' tonight –because I'm taking you out drink-in and bar-beque-in!"
Shika still didn't look too enthused. "Great." He said again. "But Chouji, you aren't the type to go out drinking. I know you, and you pretty much know me, and we're not the partying type." He complained, and Chouji just gave a cat-like smile. It was rare smiles like that from Chouji that always worried Shikamaru.
"That's why we're going out, Shika. We need to loosen up a bit." Chouji replied, really meaning that Shika should loosen up –a lot.
Shikamaru didn't bother to brush the grass off his back, and watched Chouji rise next to him. He looked up at the sky, as if saying farewell. "Troublesome." He muttered, and received a slap on the back.
"Just get going." Chouji grumbled, munching on the last chip in reverie, as he watched Shika lazily head down the hill towards the academy.
Three students sat in silence, the sun actually starting to set.
Chika tapped her foot at the desk they were sitting at, in a lone classroom. Many things were bothering her. For starters...
First headache was in the form of Ryo –who was currently using pens and paperclips and staples as throwing stars, getting them stuck in the ceiling. He currently had almost an entire leaf-ninja symbol drawn out. It was just her luck to get the super annoying, hyper prodigy as her teammate. And Sakura knew about it too, and didn't even clue her in!
Second headache was currently sitting in the corner, quietly watching Ryo, looking very –ugh- ordinary. She had barely even noticed him all through school, and could barely remember his name. Geeze, what was it? Ben? No, Ken. Yeah.
Third headache was yet to arrive. Whoever their new sensei was, he was late! Where the heck was he already? Naruto hadn't stuck around even, after a three hour wait, saying that he was going to go see if he was dead or something.
Ken was the first to hear the shuffling footsteps outside the door, and his head slowly turned in that direction. Seeing this sudden movement from the stoic boy, Chika followed her gaze to the door. When a shadow appeared at the door, even Ryo stopped his 'artwork' making and glared eagerly at the door.
Their first impression of their new sensei!
The door opened.
In walked a tall, dark haired man in a green ninja vest, yawning like he had just woken up from a 24 hour sleep marathon.
All three looked a little 'stunned' to say the least.
And Ryo had the audacity to ask, "Who are you?"
"Eh?" The man simply made that noise and looked in his direction.
Ryo shook his head. "Well, you must be lost, because you look pretty confused."
The man just stared and blinked once. He sighed and closed his eyes. "I'm not lost. I'm here to pick up my new team. Asao Kenichi, Haruno Chika, and Jinn Ryo."
"I go by Ken, sensei." Ken spoke up, raising his hand up barely.
"Ok. Fine. Uh, I guess we should have orientation or something. So, anyway-" He was cut off.
"Wait a minute sensei! We're supposed to meet at a destined spot –a place that will become our official meeting place from here on out! Don't you understand that! You were supposed to pick a spot already!" Chika exclaimed, bolting from her desk.
The man just stared at her, looking like he wanted to run away. "Uh, how about we just make that here. It's too troublesome to look for a spot now."
Little did the kids know that that 'troublesome' was the first of many in their lives.
"Troublesome?" Ryo echoed, scrunching his nose.
"Yeah, let's just have it here. Our official meeting spot –or whatever- will be here at the school." He replied, and nodded slowly, as if agreeing with himself. "Well, anyway, I'm Nara Shikamaru, your new teacher and leader."
There was a pause that earned him three unexcited faces –not that he was surprised, he wouldn't be excited about himself either.
So far, so... not so good.
"Uh, maybe you should tell me about your dreams and whatnot, and maybe a few likes and dislikes." He suggested, not that he would have actually asked those questions. Naruto had caught him as he entered the school grounds and had scolded him for being late, and gave him some pointers to get to know them better.
"Well, I'm Jinn Ryo! I dream to be a great ninja with lots of cool skills and awesome, amazing moves that will impress all the girls. That's pretty much it. Oh, I love donuts! And I love energy drinks! And I love games! And I hate being inside. And I love sports!"
Shikamaru was already a little frightened by the energetic boy. If anything, he might have been worse than what he remembered Naruto was at his age.
"Stop talking Ryo, and give us a chance too!" Chika exclaimed. She turned to her sensei. "I'm Haruno Chika, and my dream is to become a great ninja and even become Hokage one day, or at least an official. I like Konoha history books and studying, and Chakra meditations. I dislike tardiness and general aloofness."
Shikamaru all but rolled his eyes. Great. A real 'student' huh. Did kids her age really use words like 'aloof' anyway?
"A-and I'm Asao Kenichi. I go by Ken, like I said. Uh, my dream is just to be a good ninja and earn a good living and live a quiet and easy life afterwards. I like reading and sitting in trees. I don't like loud noises." He replied, and then seemed to give an accusing look to his two teammates, who missed the insinuation.
Shikamaru nodded once. Now this guy was more like it. Average by all means.
There was another silence.
"How about you Shikamaru-sensei?" Chika asked.
After getting over the initial shock of being repeatedly called sensei, he replied, "Me? Well, my dream is to live a normal life with a steady job. I like looking at the sky, and I dislike paperwork." He replied, and the kids this time were the ones to give judgement.
And their judgement was: their new sensei was odd.
After they split up and decided to meet the next day at noon near the gym, Shikamaru headed off to join up with Chouji at his place.
The three young ninjas huddled together when their sensei left.
"What in the hell! I think we got gypped or something. Can this guy really be a Jounin?" Ryo asked. Chika spoke up next.
"I mean, I've heard of him, or the Nara's at least. They're the big deer herders, and such. Antlers are great for healing stuff. Anyway, he's the first from the famous Rookie 9 to become a Chuunin, and he became that in less than a year from becoming a Genin. That's about all the record books say about that –and the fact he's supposed to have a really high IQ. Doesn't seem like it though."
"What do you think, Ken?" Ryo asked the silent boy.
Ken felt kind of on the spot suddenly. Suddenly a picture of Naruto and the ramen stand flashed in his mind. Leader, right? "Well, I don't know for sure. I think maybe we should find out more about him first. Get information for ourselves."
"Oh. My. Gods!" Ryo exclaimed.
Ken felt like he said something wrong.
"That's a great idea! Follow sensei! We'll definitely learn more about him tonight if we trail him! That's perfect! Let's get going!" Ryo exclaimed.
Chika grabbed Ryo's sleeve and stopped him from bolting. "Hold on, mister energy. I mean, think about it. He's still a Jounin, and they don't just make any body a Jounin. He'll definitely notice us."
"You forget who you're teamed with, girlie. I'm one of the best potential ninja prodigies in the village!" Ryo exclaimed.
"Argh, for one, don't call me girlie, and two, the word potential means just what it's supposed to; a possibility for becoming a ninja prodigy!"
"Well, I have a lot of possible-ness, and I know I'm skilled, so just follow my lead."
"What is with you anyway, think you're a prodigy and all, when your grades were barely enough to get you passed!"
"I don't think being a ninja has anything to do with book smarts, it's all about skill in the field!"
"What good is skill if you don't know how to manage the Chakra right!"
"Well you-" Ryo was cut off by Ken's body seemingly appearing out of nowhere between them. "Where'd you come from? I didn't know you were still here, Ken."
"We should just follow sensei and find out more about him, and if he catches us, we'll just say we were in the neighborhood or something." Ken replied, and the two stared at him, strangely.
"He's right." Chika sighed, and started for the door. "C'mon, I think he said something about meeting his friend at his apartment."
Ryo nodded and came up next to her. "You think it's a girl -friend?"
"Pfft! I can't see him with a girlfriend." Chika replied and they walked out together, leaving poor Ken behind them.
He followed dutifully behind them, Naruto's words still in his mind. They may not see it, but they would need him. He could see why. With two hot-headed people like them, they needed a calmer person in the team.
He allowed a small smile as he followed behind them.
Shikamaru arrived at his apartment, to find Chouji waiting for him outside the door.
"Chouji. I thought you'd forget and leave me alone for the night." Shikamaru replied, as he approached his friend.
"Not a chance. C'mon!" They started to head towards the restaurant. "So, Shika, speaking of girlfriends before, when are you getting one?"
Shikamaru tried to hide his blush and glared at Chouji for a minute as they walked the quiet streets of Konoha. "We weren't speaking of them before, were we?"
"Yes, we were. And I want to know when you'll get one." Chouji urged on. He knew about his friend's loss years ago with her, but he also knew moping about it for years was bad. He needed to move on, meet other girls, or at least work off some stress. Not that he could see any stress on Shikamaru if he looked, but he knew he must have been 'frustrated'. "When will it be, Shikamaru?"
He just sighed and made an uncomfortable noise. "About the same time as you." He said, and he raised an eyebrow for a moment, but then shrugged it off –too troublesome to worry about.
"There are plenty of women in Konoha. Maybe ask Naruto for one of the teacher's numbers or something. Or ask Ino –she's a teacher at the ninja academy –I think fitness and health or something. I'm sure she knows plenty of pretty girls who'll go out with a newly appointed, elite Jounin."
Shikamaru hadn't heard most of that conversation, but an area of interest actually did catch his lazy ear. "Ino's a teacher at the academy? That seems like an paradox."
Chouji snorted a little. "Same can be said about Naruto too. And you for that matter."
"Huh?"
"But anyway, Ino's changed a lot since we were all together as a team... I mean, she's still loud, obnoxious and lively, but other than that... you know." He just kind of left it. Truthfully he hadn't had a good talk with his former female teammate in about a year or two. Although for Shikamaru, Chouji knew it was much longer.
"Well, if she has changed, I'd feel weird talking to her. And we never really did that much talking anyway. I don't even think I've seen her in a few years. Does she still look the same?" He asked, a little curious.
"You'll just have to see for yourself." Chouji gave a toothy grin.
Did he mention he worried about those grins? He shrugged and saw they reached the pub. They got inside and sat at a small booth by a window and the bar itself. Chouji ordered a few rounds and an order of barbeque steaks, and folded his arms, awaiting the food.
Shikamaru continued on with their last conversation. "I guess it would be convenient to ask Ino. I'll be at the school a lot, probably." He remarked plainly, almost looking pouty.
Chouji frowned. "Why's that?"
"I made that our official meeting spot."
"Your team's?"
"Yeah."
There was a pause, then Chouji raised an eyebrow. "The school?"
"Yeah."
Silence between them. Chouji then smirked. "Sounds like you, Shikamaru."
"Hrmm." Shikamaru replied simply and then watched as a round of alcohol was placed between them, along with their food –or Chouji's food, it seemed like, since he was already digging in, swinging back a bottle of bubbling, amber liquid.
Shikamaru grabbed a bottle for himself and drank from it. He had only had alcohol a few times before, and he felt the effects almost emmediately. Blinking, he took a bite of some meat, and finished off his first glass. Then he lit a cigarette and tried to relax.
"You need to quit those you know." Chouji remarked.
"Yea I know." Shikamaru replied, sighing.
Outside, the three young ninja Genins strained to hear what their sensei was talking about now. When the conversation died down, they hopped down from the windowsill and leaned in for a huddle.
"So far, our information is that 1. Sensei has no girlfriend, and probably needs one. 2. His former teammates were this guy, Chouji, and actually our former health instructor –Miss Ino. 3. Sensei just became a Jounin." Chika recited, her hand still showing three fingers. "But I think I already knew the teammates part from the history records on the so-called 'Rookie 9' or whatever."
"You forgot a number... 4. Sensei is very boring." Ryo growled, standing back from the huddle, and leaning against the wall. "He may be an 'Elite Jounin' but he sure is boring. He hasn't said much else after that second drink. He's a bad and boring teacher so far."
"I think we need more time." Ken said softly, watching a fidgety Ryo drum his hands against the wall.
"I agree. It's too early to make assumptions, even if so far our new Sensei is anything but remarkable, let alone markable at all." Chika replied, looking a little put off.
"Maybe all he needs is to get laid." Ryo scoffed, and both Chika and Ken stared at him, their mouths hanging open in shock. Ryo rolled his eyes. "Don't look so shocked, you both know it's true."
"W-we aren't supposed to talk about things like our Sensei getting 'laid' Ryo! What is wrong with you!" Chika exclaimed, and covered her ears –although it was too late.
"It goes along with number one on the info. list, though. Sensei has no girlfriend, and needs one." Ryo retorted and Chika frowned.
"I said 'probably' needs one." She growled, and still had her ears covered. "Besides, what does that have to do with anything?"
"Well, we can have an inside joke going or something." Ryo said, sounding sure of himself.
"And do tell me what the inside joke will be." Chika rolled her eyes, shocked to see herself amusing Ryo's crazy scheme.
"I can say something like Aid-lay –pig latin code." He smiled at his spectacular wit.
Chika was not impressed. "I'm not playing along in your little 'whatever-you-call-it' inside joke, Ryo." She replied and then peeked back in the pub quickly by hopping on the ledge and then jumping back down. She made a disgusted face. "He smokes. Intel number 5." She sighed. "I think he's on his sixth alcoholic beverage."
"I think seven now, they just ordered another round." Ken replied, and both his new teammates jumped a little.
"Dammit, Ken, where do you keep coming from?" Ryo exclaimed.
"I was here the whole time." Ken said, exasperated, but not showing it.
"Oh." Ryo raised an eyebrow, and adjusted his forehead protector, although it stayed crooked even after the adjustment.
The three then continued their surveillance until their sensei and Mr. Chouji went home, stumbing down the streets of Konoha. Same as their teacher, the three didn't get to bed until early in the morning.