A Shino Lovestory [ON HOLD]

Chapter 24 - The Search and Rescue Mission

Shino left a note on the kitchen bench, then ran out following Kiba and Akamaru. They ran all the way to the Hokage Mansion where everyone met, they rushed up to Lady Tsunade's office and burst through the door into her office. She was so startled that she dropped a pile of important papers that she just finished organizing.

'What is the meaning of this!?' she yelled as she stalked over to them.

Naruto spoke, only it wasn't him speaking, it was Kurama, 'There is no time right now, we came to tell you, I have found her, I have found, Yukino.'

The look on Tsunade's face said it all, 'Impossible, for six days we've been searching for her and nothing came through.'

'We don't know how it's possible, but it might have something to do with that day Yukino, visited, Kurama,' Ino said, 'She left my family's shop and I found out that she wanted to meet him.'

'It's true,' Kurama said, 'she was a very unusual child, but she found herself able to relate to my past. Before she left, she hugged me, I believe that is when the connection happened. A tiny piece pf my chakra must've been absorbed by her, I didn't notice it at first, but when I was replenishing my strength, I sensed it. Now I know her location.'

'Please allow us to go, Lady Tsunade,' Sakura begged.

'Please, we have to get her back,' Lee cried.

'Hell, we will even let, Naruto lead the team,' Shikamaru said.

'Kurama, how far is she?' Tsunade asked.

'Halfway to the border of the Land of Fire. But we must hurry, my chakra in her is fading, she doesn't have long,' he explained.

'Right, thank you. You had better release, Naruto before he explodes.'

While Naruto returned to controlling his own body, Lady Tsunade explained the plan that Naruto would lead, with Shikamaru as a backup leader, should Naruto run ahead. Shino listened attentively, while also trying to control his urge to run out of that office and start searching already. When the debrief was over, Naruto and Shikamaru lead the team out on their mission almost immediately. Is she was halfway to the border, which was pretty far, they would need to stop and rest for a short while. Judging by their looks, Shino believed that everyone was sleeping when they got the message and didn't fully wake up. Early that very same night, for the second time in his life, Shino was crying at the thought of never seeing his friend's beautiful face and smile again. I hope this trip doesn't take so long, I want her back in my arms as soon as possible, he thought to himself.

+

'We'll rest here for a while, everyone looks exhausted,' Shikamaru said as he stopped in a small clearing in the middle of the forest.

Neji lit a small fire, while the others sat down to rest. Kiba was taking a quick nap on Akamaru, while Hinata, Naruto, Ino and Sakura also snoozed up against some trees. The fire was warm and soft as Shino pulled out the sketchbook he had packed just before he left his house. He was slowly flicking through the pages, closely admiring every detail of the artwork.

'I see you still have that,' Sai said as he sat down next to Shino.

'I do, thank you,' Shino said in a low voice.

'Hey, everyone! Here!' Tenten opened one of her scrolls and released a medium-sized pot full of soup, something they could eat quickly before they had to leave again.

The smell woke everyone up and gave them energy, it tasted just as good as it smelt too. Sai had left Shino to himself as Shino continued to look through his book. He noticed the many eyes constantly glancing over every now and then at him until, eventually, Lee came over with a bound.

'What're you reading there, Shino?' he asked.

'It's nothing,' he replied closing the sketchbook, he was about to put it away when Kiba grabbed it from his hands.

'Come on now, don't hide it. I've seen you look through this a couple of times, and I'm curious to know what's in it,' Kiba grinned.

'Please don't,' Shino asked, his voice failing to hide his nerves.

'What are you hiding in here...' Kiba said as he went to open it.

'Don't!' but it was too late, Kiba opened Shino's sketchbook.

'It's... from Sai?!' eyes pointed to their friend in confusion and surprise, Sai just smiled at them.

'Turn the page, let's see what's in it,' Sakura said as she, too, peeked over.

As his friends turned each page, Shino slowly sank to the ground. He didn't want his friends to see them yet, he wasn't ready to show them. Maybe he shouldn't have brought it in the first place. Shino heard the comments drift down to him, about how pretty the pictures were, how pretty Sai had drawn their friend. He comment broke a piece of Shino's icy wall, bringing on the verge of tears he couldn't hold back. He didn't want to cry again, especially here, not now. But Shino's will failed him as his heart squeezed, causing small tears to leave trailing marks on his cheeks, the gasps from his friends made him close his eyes and dip his head lower, he knew what picture they were looking at. He was expecting a big kafuffle and lots of questions, instead, he was tapped on the head and his book returned.

'I'm sorry, Shino. I didn't... you know,' Kiba wasn't very good at this.

'We didn't know you felt that way about her,' Lee said as he sat next to Shino.

Shino just shied away, the movement reminding him of Yukino when she met this group.

'So, it's true, the always straight Shino, has finally found someone he cares about,' he heard Naruto say.

'I never would have guessed,' Shikamaru laughed.

'Much like you and Temari from the sand, huh, Shikamaru?' Ino giggled.

'Shut up,' Shikamaru blushed before he cleared his throat, 'we had best get moving, we still have our rescue mission.'

And with that, the fire was put out and the team continued on their way to rescue their friend. Shino was surprised when no one asked him any questions, but didn't push the subject any further, now was not the time. It took an hour at top speed for the team to reach the end of the tree line, they had reached their destination. There was a rope bridge across a cavern and on the other side was a giant stone building, some sort of tower, like stacks discs from large to small up.

'She's in there, I can sense her chakra, it's faint, but she's here,' Naruto said.

'I can't pick up anything with my Byakugan,' Hinata told everyone.

'We'll split up into three teams, by the looks of that place, there are three main levels. And from what I was told by Lady Tsunade, this is supposed to be one of Orochimaru's abandoned research labs, guess it's not so abandoned. Choji, Sakura, Tenten, and Sai, you will be one team. Shino, Neji, Sasuke, and Ino make up the next team, and Lee, Naruto, Kiba and Hinata are with me,' Shikamaru that they would be expecting organised groups, so mixed up groups would be better to go by.

No one objected to the chosen teams, but Shino felt a little out of place being with teammates that weren't his regular team. But he pushed his feelings aside, finally, he was going to find her, rescue her, then hold her in his arms and never let go. Yukino, the girl he saved, the girl who had changed his life from orderly to eventful, even fun, he was going to get her back, and keep it that way.

'Scatter!' and as commanded, Shino and his friends scattered as their search and rescue mission, had finally begun.