It All Started With A Smell

Sand

"Can you repeat that one more time?"

He watched the Hokage's eye twitch in annoyance. It wasn't that he wasn't listening. He had heard her twice now, he was just certain he had heard her wrong. As the blonde woman opened her mouth to speak again Shikamaru watched her lips, trying to read the words that his ears were obviously mishearing.

"I have chosen you to be the ambassador for the Leaf. Your main duty will be the Chunin exams but you will have to co-operate with the other villages." Lady Tsunade sighed, her mouth becoming a hard line.

"I swear I'm hearing you wrong. Did you just say I'm the Leaf's ambassador?"

"Yes she did, Shikamaru," Ino spoke up, giving him an exasperated look.

"What a drag," He grumbled, "Also, why?"

Lady Tsunade clearly did not like to repeat herself. Her hands tightened under her chin and her eye twitched again. "Our ambassador was killed in the invasion, your father once had the job so he can advise you, you have shown intelligence, though apparently it has left you at the moment, and I said so! Now, you have a mission to Suna. They are without a leader so we are helping them when needed and we are still trying to create a firm alliance between the two villages. Apparently Suna has been fed propaganda about us that we have to help remove from people's minds and of course the Leaf has reasons to be apprehensive about the Sand Ninjas. You have worked with Sand ninjas, the Kazekage's children, before without issue. That is another reason I chose you." She handed Choji the mission scroll, obviously realising Shikamaru's hands were too numb to take them. "Now leave! And try to stop being so gloomy."

"She's right, you know," Choji commented as they left her office. "You have been grumpy lately."

Shikamaru just grunted. "How long is the mission?"

Choji perused the scroll. "It's a weeklong mission, but it's a three day travel there, then three days back.

"We'll meet at the gate in an hour," Shikamaru ordered.

"Don't fall asleep," Ino joked.

"Yeah, yeah, keep up the jokes and you will be on night watch the longest!" Shikamaru threatened, his hands going to his pockets.

He really did wish he could go back to bed. Not because he was tired, or lazy. He had a basic supply kit always ready next to his bedroom door but given how long they would be gone it would not be enough. Lifting the bag onto his bed he shifted some of the supplies so that he could fit in more clothing, some more bandages, and weaponry. He didn't have to worry too much, since he could restock at Suna but he would rather not rely on that, encase something occurred on the journey there. Unfortunately, Shikamaru found himself packing and repacking his bag, each time his heart rate increasing. He hadn't realised he was being noisy until his mother came in, her hand clamping over his as he pulled a shirt out of his bag for the fifth time.

She took the item out of his hand, nudging him aside gently and starting to pack his kit. His mother made sure that the most essential items were the easiest to access, that his weapons were secure so they wouldn't cut other items or stab him in the back, and she put a bottle of sunscreen into his pack as well, that she produced from her pocket.

"Your father told me about your mission earlier. Suna is hotter than The Leaf and doesn't have the trees for cover. Once when your father and I went to The Sand Village on a mission your father forgot to use sunscreen. He ended up so sunburnt that he blistered." She put her hand on Shikamaru's cheek, smiling. "On top of everything else you've inherited your father's skin so make sure you use the sunscreen."

Shikamaru nodded, making a mental note to do just that. He did not like the sound of blisters.

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