Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, I would not be writing FANfiction.

Shikamaru closed his eyes. 'There, found them,' he thought. His shadow stretched and gradually formed a line, twisting around trees and other obstacles. Stealthily, he took off, occasionally checking to see if he was still on track, keeping more attention on not being seen. Finally, he spotted the man, carrying the shell of Ino.

Shikamaru immediately formed a few hand seals. "Kage henge no jutsu," he chanted, and disappeared into a shadow. Moving unnoticed, Shikamaru edged closer to his enemy, and the body that Ino's life depended on.

"My pretty," the ninja cooed, stroking the silken blond strands of hair, "it's a lovely day isn't it? Such a gorgeous day shouldn't be dampened by darkness, should it? Not the right day for children and shadows to play." He casually tossed a kunai to where Shikamaru had blended with a tree's shadow.

'Shit, how did he know I was here?' Shikamaru emerged and dodged the weapon.

"I knew you wouldn't do things the easy way. But come on, we shouldn't be fighting on such a beautiful day. Why don't you just return to your village? The girl can't mean that much to you."

The lazy nin growled. "Give her back. I won't leave without her."

The other smiled. "I thought as much. But you can't attack me as long as I have her. Trapped, aren't you? Why don't you forfeit? That way, you can still keep your own pathetic life."

"Never."

'But he's right,' Shikamaru groaned, 'I can't attack him if he has Ino's body. How troublesome…"

"Don't jump to conclusions. Such is the way of life for shinobi, and I would assume you should know as much." A cool voice startled both of them.

'Is that…?'

'Who is that? What…?'

Shino stepped forward, the light gleaming off his sunglasses. "I have had my bugs surround this area. Surrender her and you won't die so painfully."

The man froze in fear. He remembered the Aburame, and how easily they had slaughtered his entire family. He was the only survivor, left to mourn for all those he had lost.

It was a pretty day, with the sun shining and a gentle breeze caressing the leaves of the tree. There were no clouds in the sky, and everything was perfect.

But something was wrong with the scene. A boy, covered in blood not his own, pulled at the rubble, desperately searching for something, anything. He stopped when a small voice called him.

"Oh, 'tsuo. 'tsuo." Panicked, the boy dug even more furiously, until he uncovered the small body of a girl. She was stained, red dripping from her lips. And he still thought she was the prettiest girl he had ever seen. On her finger was a small ring, silver, carved exquisitely with a dragon.

"'chiru!" the boy cried, holding her limp form in his thin arms, her golden hair falling like a veil on him. She looked at him with her blue eyes, eyes that he had gotten to know so well, holding a vastness so deep he had only begun to comprehend them. And now they were clouding over, covering everything he had wanted.

"Matsuo…please…I…I…" Her stiff body relaxed, already turning cold. She had departed this world, leaving behind a broken world and one broken boy. The boy that she would have wed.

"No! You can't have her! Not this time. I won't let you!" The man tried to run in fear, but with a wave of his hand, Shino let his bugs go. They paraded forward, covering the body. Pain and grief stricken, he let go of Ino, Shikamaru catching her before she landed.

"Michiru! Michiru!" the ninja cried, tears running down his face.

The bug boy nodded. "Let's go. We are done here." He turned around and walked away. Shikamaru gave a small grunt, but before he joined up with Shino, he shifted his glance back at the man who was being devoured. The enemy, though now he didn't feel like one anymore, reached his hand up. Shikamaru glimpsed a silver ring, shiny and carved, before the flesh was covered in a horde of bugs.

He closed his eyes and turned around, missing a quiet "Michiru. I'll finally see you again."

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Lee panted, catching his breath. Seconds later, he flew up into the air, dodging Tenten's attack. She jumped up with him, her speed double of what it usually was. Her limbs were moving on their own.

Lee collapsed upon landing, his chakra spent. He chuckled quietly. 'So is this how the great green beast of Konoha will parish? In the hands of the beautiful flower?'

Inside, Tenten awoke, seeing Lee in such a state. She tried to open her mouth, but her body wouldn't obey her. 'Lee, get away. Please.'

Her comrade and friend didn't move from his spot, still kneeling on the floor, a grin on his face. He was determined that at the very least, he would die with a smile on his face. That way, he was still bringing Gai pride. It was the least he could do.

"NO!" Tenten shouted, snapping Lee back into reality. She was clutching her head, doubled over. "I won't! Lee is my friend! Stop it!"

The enemy furrowed his brow in confusion. This had never happened before. All his other 'guinea pigs' had obeyed and even killed their own parents. Why was this girl unique?

He didn't have time to think anymore. The weapons mistress was beside him, throwing punches, kicks, slaps, everything she could do. He dodged, but his speed was nowhere near as fast as Lee's and she was moving too fast for him to see.

A knee in his gut sent the man crashing into the trees. Tenten prepared a kunai, sticking it into his chest. He gave a silent cry, before slumping forward, the girl's kunai still stuck inside him.

"Don't you dare underestimate me," Tenten hissed, unaware of Lee's awed expression. She turned back to her friend, rushing beside him and gently helping him up.

Suddenly, a familiar pain bloomed and Tenten uttered a faint cry. She felt her body go numb again, and her hand reached for her pouch, despite her mind's refusal.

"Tenten?" Lee asked, his eyes filled with concern.

Soundlessly, Tenten drove her knife into his throat, horror and nausea filling her as she watched one of her best friends give her a look of terror before falling onto the ground. Blood running everywhere, memories slammed into her, as she recalled her parents, her brother, her family, all covered in the same crimson.

Tenten blacked out, onto Lee's freshly killed body. Behind her, the man gave one final chuckle before letting go of his body.

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Okay, finally finished it. Yes, I am aware of how long it has been and I'll apologize and promptly blame it on my chaotic schedule. And I'm finally back to the good computer where I have search engines! Yay!

Thanks to everyone who reviewed, and in fact, to people who read my story! You keep me motivated to write and to keep coming up with new ideas to add to this plot.

And now, the questions.

Is Lee really truly as in never coming back dead? Or will he?

Is Ino all right? Will she die before Shikamaru and Shino can save her?

What about Kiba? He wasn't even mentioned in here.

Finally and ultimately, Why won't my line button work? -sobs-

Oh yes, expect an update less than two weeks later.

Achillea