The streets of Konoha echoed with the sound of hurried footsteps—three distinct sets, each with its own rhythm. Leading the way was a blonde girl with two bouncing pigtails, her pace swift and unyielding. Behind her, a lanky boy struggled to keep up, and trailing further behind was a rounder boy, his breath heavy with exertion.
It was none other than Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji, a trio that had known each other for as long as they could remember.
"Hey, Ino, can you slow down a bit?" Shikamaru puffed between breaths, his voice weary. He was clearly worn out, his steps sluggish from the constant running. "I'm exhausted."
Choji, dragging his feet even more than Shikamaru, nodded in agreement before dropping to the ground with a loud thud. "Yeah, I'm done. I can't take another step," he said, panting as he caught his breath.
Ino, now far ahead, halted and spun around, her brows furrowed in frustration. "Seriously? We've barely run any distance, and you two are already out of breath!" She folded her arms, a pout forming on her lips. "This is what happens when you two laze around all day."
Shikamaru and Choji exchanged guilty looks, momentarily speechless. Ino had a point, but neither of them was about to admit it.
Rolling her eyes, Ino sighed dramatically. "Fine, whatever. My dad told me to fetch my brother, so I'm going. You two can sit here and rest if you want. I'll go alone." She turned on her heel, resuming her brisk pace without waiting for a response.
The two boys watched her for a moment. Shikamaru sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Troublesome," he muttered. He glanced at Choji, who was still catching his breath.
"She's our friend," Choji said, picking himself up from the ground with some effort. "We can't just let her go alone."
With a resigned groan, Shikamaru nodded. "Yeah, yeah. Let's go." And so, they both stumbled after Ino, their pace sluggish but steady, knowing they'd never hear the end of it if they didn't catch up.
Ino finally arrived at the Third Training Ground, where her brother usually went to relax. The area was peaceful, with a light breeze rustling the leaves of the trees that formed a small grove. As she pushed through the last cluster of branches, her eyes landed on her brother, Inoiki, stretched out lazily on a tree branch, eyes closed, completely at ease.
"Brother, Dad's looking for you," Ino called up, her tone sharp with urgency. "He wants you back immediately."
Inoiki lazily opened his eyes and peered down at her, the same sky-blue gaze that mirrored hers reflecting mild curiosity. His blonde hair was tousled from napping, his fair skin catching the sunlight through the trees. He blinked a few times before he spoke, his voice tinged with boredom.
"Oh, right. Dad did mention something yesterday about an important meeting with Uncle Choji and Uncle Shikaku… about my future or something," Inoiki muttered, scratching his head. "Guess I forgot."
Ino huffed, her arms crossed. "Yes, and Dad's furious! If we don't go right now, he's going to punish you, and you know it."
Inoiki chuckled softly, clearly unfazed by his sister's anxious tone. "Don't worry about it, Ino. Dad's all bark, no bite. And if he even tries to punish me, I'll just tell Mom. Let's see how he handles that." A mischievous smirk spread across his face, his voice laced with amusement.
Ino winced, knowing full well that her brother had a point. Their mother was the true force in the family, and if she caught wind of their father punishing Inoiki, there would be consequences—severe ones. The thought of her father facing her mother's wrath almost made her feel bad for him. Almost.
Before Ino could respond, Shikamaru and Choji finally stumbled into view, both of them completely winded. The boys collapsed onto the ground, gasping for breath.
"Finally... reached," Shikamaru wheezed, his voice barely audible as he laid flat on the grass, staring up at the sky in defeat. "I can't run anymore."
Choji was no better off, gulping air like a fish out of water, his cheeks flushed from exertion.
Inoiki let out a hearty laugh from his spot in the tree. "Looks like my sister worked you two to the bone," he teased, his voice full of amusement. In one fluid motion, he gracefully floated off the branch, hovering midair for a moment before landing softly on the ground. The entire display seemed effortless, almost magical, but none of the children batted an eye.
They were used to it by now. Ever since Inoiki had started his special training two weeks ago, he'd awakened strange abilities—levitation being just one of them.
Shikamaru, still catching his breath, barely lifted his head. "Troublesome… Can't you ever just walk like a normal person?" he muttered, though there was no real malice in his tone. He was too tired to care.
Ino shot her brother a disapproving look. "Stop showing off, Brother. We're in a hurry. You need to get back home before Dad blows a fuse."
With a shrug, Inoiki stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Alright, alright. Let's head back then." He glanced at Choji and Shikamaru, who were still sprawled on the ground, and grinned. "You two need a minute, or should I carry you as well?"
"Don't even think about it," Shikamaru groaned, rolling onto his side with a sigh. "We'll walk... eventually."
Choji simply nodded, too exhausted to speak.
Ino, impatient as ever, stomped her foot. "Let's go, or Dad's going to send half the village to find you!"
With another chuckle, Inoiki began to walk, Shikamaru and Choji dragging themselves to their feet to follow. Despite the exhaustion, there was a sense of camaraderie between the four of them, a bond that only years of friendship could forge—even if it sometimes meant being dragged into troublesome situations.
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