Room 504 and Konohagakure no Sato, Tuesday

[intraspective]

Tsunade	The worst news always seemed to be accompanied by the best weather. The sky was a brilliant, almost painful, shade of blue and heat baked into every building as Konoha went about its business. And the Hokage went about hers. Her brown eyes studied the weary monk in front of her as she assimilated his sorry news. Already her mind spinning through plans, through contingencies, if Akatsuki was… "I see," Tsunade said slowly, feeling tired and the old stirrings of familiar grief in her heart. There was no time to indulge herself in it however. "Even Chiriku..."
Monk	He was tired and sick with grief and the only thing that let him stay composed, stay up-right, was that right here and now he knelt in front of the one person who absolutely needed to know what had happened. "I," the words stuck in his throat. He swallowed and tried again, remembering the destruction of the temple and who had been there. "I happened to be on guard duty and when I came back it was already..." Too late. Too late to do anything but run and inform Konohagakure no Sato.
Shizune	"They're probably making a thorough search of any place in Hi no Kuni that a Jinchuuriki might be." Left unstated was the fact that Akatsuki had been doing the same in other countries for some time. Shizune couldn't help being worried. "They've come at last…"
Tsunade	Tsunade, the Godaime Hokage, closed her eyes for a moment while Shizune talked. Thoughts and plans spinning into place until, yes—she knew what had to be done. Her eyes opened and were steely. "We won't let them leave the Fire Country," she said, voice snapping out. She had hoped that Akatsuki wouldn't come but like any good leader, Tsunade had not counted on hope. "Mobilize the newly organized Nijyuu Shoutai now."

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Ino	It was a typical morning, now that they were back in the dorms and sharing space again (which the cabins had been awfully trying about) and Ino was enjoying that not-quite-asleep period where the things she was aware of were narrowed down to just most important things. Like Zack being warm and snuggly and her being too comfortable to open her eyes. Totally the important things. Which meant she was going to snuggle in closer and see if she could extend the whole period into a lengthier one.
Zack	Hey, Zack wasn't about to protest. Where there was snuggling, there was a willing puppy, sighing happily and nuzzling right on in. Sure, there was waking up to do sometime in the near-ish future. He was going to have to roll over and fall out of bed and put on clothing for the day and run laps around the island or whatever eventually. But nobody had ever really specified that eventually absolutely had to be just this moment. And so? Lo and behold, there was some prolonged snuggle time, right here.
Ino	Which was absolutely gorgeous and Ino was definitely not arguing. Why would she ever argue about more snuggle time? He was warm and she was cozy and soon, very soon really, they'd have to get up and begin training but that could wait, just a little, on days like today, right? In fact, if they kept this up, she was just going to actually fall right back aslee-- Timing being what it was, of course, that was when the phone started ringing. "...Tell me that's your phone," she muttered, already feeling the residual sleep that had been inducing her happy snuggle mood dispersing. Sigh.
Zack	Zack didn't like phones all that much, at the moment. Normally? Yay, phones! Right now? Not so much. Not when there was important cuddling to be done. "Nooooooooope." He was less inclined to forgive the ringing, seeing as it wasn't his ringtone, and all.
Ino	Look, it had been wishful thinking on aisle three, okay? Paging, paging... With a heartfelt sigh Ino wriggled her way out of the blankets (yes, blankets in summer) and then there was a bunch of leaning on Zack as she streeeetched for her phone, which lay on her desk. "Yo, Ino here." And the only reason that didn't sound pissy was because, well, phone or no phone she wasn't in a bad mood. Just a sleepy one. Maybe a bit sulky. That changed about three seconds into the call, when she went tense and started scrambling to actually get out of bed for real.
Zack	Which was... not the sort of reaction that Zack's brain had been hard-wired for at this time of day, and it managed to startle the heck out of him. He went from somewhere in the middle of a snuggle to being in the way all at once, and it was with wide, worried eyes that he actually shifted about, pulled himself into a sitting position, and then scooted aside to let her by.
Ino	Let's just say that it was a good thing being a ninja meant she had better than average balance? Or else, even with Zack out of the way, Ino would've wound up taking a nosedive off the bed thanks to some twisted blankets. As it was, she barely even noticed as she murmured in her first language, padding over to her closet to dig out... well, she'd call it her uniform, but it was more what she just happened to wear while doing missions: purple skirt (short!), purple tank top, fishnet and then her sandals all the while listening to the voice on the other end of the line. Ino? Was good at that multitasking thing. And so very glad she wasn't body-shy because she didn't have time for that right now. It was an interesting feat to struggle into what she liked to wear in the field with only one hand, yes. "Hai," she said, finally, and hung up. Her eyes were already sliding into mission cool when she looked at him. "Got a job." She still wished, right now, that she could get more snuggles. But a mission was almost as good.
Zack	Considering Zack's own abysmal lack of actual work lately, he could certainly appreciate the appeal that a mission back in Konoha would hold for Ino, whose own mission list as of late had been similarly hurting, it seemed. He gave her a little smile, resting his hands on the bed and leaning backward a little. "Excited, huh?" There was something about being put to use that seemed to have that sort of effect on people like them, after all. Warriors.
Ino	"Yeah," she admitted, wriggling into her top and making sure it was on properly before snagging a hairbrush and running it quickly through her hair. "I mean--can't say I'm thrilled entirely but, yeah. I'm excited." And that was probably the world's fastest ponytail that she did there. Was Zack impressed? Ino was more focused on making sure it looked okay while she amended her words with thought. She was excited, sure, but it was just that... what she was being called back for made her feel a smidgen guilty that she was happy to be called home. People, their people, had died.
Zack	It took a special sort of skill to be able to separate the cause from the thrill of the mission. Zack had it, at the worst of times. It had taken him years to perfect. There was having a function, no matter the reason, and there was sitting stagnant. And then, on the side, there were the bad things that happened which meant he could function again without worrying about stagnation taking hold. And maybe while he was functioning, he'd let his mind wander to whatever the cause of the mission really was. But more often than not, it was him, and his element, and then the knowledge of a job well done after the fact. "Is there anything I can get you before you go?" She didn't have to be happy with what was going on. She just had to be what she was, and the rest would sort itself out along the way. That was how this thing worked.
Ino	She slid senbon--weapons she wasn't supposed to have in her room--and a deck of cards into her kit, into her clothing, where they would catch and stay until she needed them and offered him a smile. "Just a kiss," Ino said, and leaned over to claim that from him. Because a mission and a kiss pretty much made the day fantastic in all sorts of ways.
Zack	Zack would never, ever disagree with logic like that, no. And when the kiss was finished, he was going to grin up at her from where he was sitting, and wink. "Go on, Ino. Knock 'em flat."
Ino	She flashed him a brief smile and then she was gone. No goodbye, no see you later. Just an impish smile and a dark light in her eyes before she disappeared, leaving the door to swing shut behind her--she still had to hit the weapons locker, then it would be a race to the Causeway. Goodbyes were for people who weren't coming back. So Ino didn't bother with one.

---

Ino	There was no time to even leave messages for Reno and Lieutenant Kerrigan that she wouldn't be in to class today—never mind into work and that was a few more messages she needed to leave and couldn't because her portal was already there as she flung herself down the Causeway, through the portal and into the forests surrounding Konoha. That, too, passed by in a blur as Ino ran for her village, for the summons, to see what her mission was in this case. Less than an hour later, she was standing on a roof, Chouji behind her. "What's going on?" she murmured to her old teammate, the taller forms of Shiranui-san and Namiashi-san blocking her view. This was her squad, she knew that much. A glance over at Shikamaru and Asuma-sensei left her feeling a bit… odd. It was weird not going on a mission with them.
Chouji	Chouji shrugged his shoulders, showing nonchalance even as he was frowning himself. It was one thing to have the team separated when Ino was gone, but having it happen now was quite another. Still, if Shikamaru and Asuma-sensei hasn't raised any objections, it was far for him to do so now. "They have experience fighting together," he answered quietly.
Ino	She didn't point out that they had more experience fighting together, surely, than Asuma-sensei and Shikamaru had with the other two. Ino just sighed softly. "Have you heard anything about the situation?" Ino doubted it, but asking never hurt and the Hokage wasn't here quite yet. Just Shizune, looking worried.
Chouji	Chouji shook his head. "Not much, just rumors that it was a monk they brought to Hokage-sama. They say it was an attack on the temple."
Genma	"Quiet you two," Genma said, glancing back over his shoulder. "Hokage-sama has arrived. Show your respect." He studied them for a moment before looking forward. Toying with a senbon, he consoled himself that even if this team hadn't had the chance to practice beforehand that the Yamanaka chit and Chouza's boy were good at teamwork. And Raidou, of course, would back him up. They'd manage. They always did. The kids were, by all accounts, good kids. They'd figure it out after getting their assignments.
Tsunade	Tsunade cast one last glance over her assembled shinobi, pride in them fluttering in her chest, as she watched him stand there, listening to her. This was no mission bought and paid for by another party. This concerned the security of their home. "That sums it up," she said finally. "Are there any questions?"
Asuma	Listening was something that ninja did well. Had to do it well for so much of their jobs relied on the smallest nuances and subtleties of a person's behaviour. He listened. And he watched the weary monk—he knew those robes, knew that devotion. When Hokage-sama opened the floor to questions, his was the first hand up.
Tsunade	She shifted, one hand coming to rest on her hip, and considered her predecessors son. "Yes, what is it?"
Asuma	"Chiriku, a former member of the 'Twelve Shinobi Guardsmen' should have been at the temple. What happened to him?" It was like ice had settled into his blood. He wanted to know and he didn't. Asuma had been a ninja too long to not be able to hazard a guess.
Monk	He recognized Asuma-dono of course. Knowing that, knowing that Chiriku had been friends with this man, had him feeling a flood of grief all over again as he answered before the Hokage could. "Chiriku-sama has died… at the hands of those who attacked the temple."
Asuma	He’d known it was a possibility. A strong possibility. That didn't stop his head from jerking back like he'd been struck and the instinctive protest of it being impossible on his lips. Asuma swallowed that protest. He could feel Shikamaru's eyes on his back.
Tsunade	"I wish to know of their intentions," Tsunade stated, when it appeared that no further questions were coming. "They are extremely dangerous, be careful. In the event that a capture becomes impossible, eliminate them." She knew her shinobi. Some would try for capture, some would try for death. "Find them. Do not let them out of the country." Her brown eyes swept the assembled Nijyuu Shoutai before she swept her arm out in an imperious gesture. "Dismissed!" And then the roof was empty but for herself, Shizune, and the monk. Tsunade spared a moment to hope for the best.

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[Preplayed with the fabulous puppy_fair, who was himself, and with the awesomtastic need_no_moon who spared me having to play a million ninja by myself. Tweaked and stolen from manga canon, lalala. Ino and Zack's bit is FB everything else is NFB due to distance.]