Chapter 20

Past Breads More Surprise

Naruto sat there staring at Gaara, slack jawed. 'Was Gaara there through all that then? When we came back did we bring part of Gaara back with us?' Naruto thought to himself as he sat there studying Gaara's face.

"We will have to talk about that later Gaara, in the mean time lets just watch the fights." Naruto said facing back forward. Sakura could clearly see he was troubled despite the goofy grin he was wearing across his face.

"Something wrong Sakura-Hime? Why are you looking at me like that?" Naruto asked now turning to completely face her, his hand coming down to rest far enough from hers so they weren't touching, but close enough that she could feel the heat radiating from him.

"I just don't like those smiles, that's all." She replied looking away with a slight blush, from the corner of her eye she could see Ino break out into a smile.

"Aww Sakura-Hime! You don't like my smile?" Naruto questioned with a playful pout leaning his shoulder to hers and looking up at her with puppy dog eyes.

"its not like that! And why are you leaning on me like that?"

"because a team should be there for each other when needed the most, as a crutch to lean on."

"So why are you leaning on me now?"

"You hurt my feelings…"

"Look I just don't like the smile cause its fake, okay? Now get off, go hang on Gaara or something!" Sakura said pushing him off, while she was doing so she caught glimpse of Gaara looking as if he was attempting to raise an eyebrow looking back at her.

"Fine I see how it is, Gaara-Chan loves me more than you do anyways!" Naruto yelled at her and turned his back to face Gaara again.

"Aww how cute! Their first couples argument!" Ino squealed cause Sakura to blush for the umpteenth time that day.

"Shut it Pig! Its not like that!." Sakura yelled back. As she turned back to Naruto he was in a staring contest with Gaara, she couldn't see Naruto's face but the red headed shin obi was giving a confused glare back at Naruto.

"Let the next match between Shikamaru Nara and Temari No Shabaku, begin!" the four teens heard from below and all turned back to watch.

"Shikamaru has this in the bag. He is going to out do Temari, but give up at the last minute once it's a pretty clear win for him." Naruto said to both Sakura and Gaara, "Don't worry neither will be hurt too badly in this."

"Just because Shika is lazy doesn't mean he always gives up! Show em Shikamaru!" Ino yelled out from her seat.

"Troublesome" was all the Nara could say as he got back up from where he was laying on the ground.

"What's wrong? You know your beat already don't you?" Temari said cockily.

"No, its not that. Just id rather be at home watching the clouds or sleeping…"

"Do you really have no ambition to drive you? Lazy ass bum."

"My ambition is retirement. I was to settle down with a nice QUIET girl and start a family with two sons and a daughter and live happily in my retirement." He said with a yawn as he stretched a bit. "I also don't like fighting girls. Nothing sexist, just harder in truth."

"Yeah I bet it is!" Temari yelled out with a blush as she swung her fan out creating a powerful bladed wind.

"That and its kind of annoying when they try to rush into things." Shikamaru said from right behind her.

'What? How is he so fast?' Temari thought as she tried to spin around to hit him with her fan.

"What? Why cant I move?" she yelled straining to glance over her shoulder.

"Don't look at me troublesome woman, look down."

Doing so she saw his shadow was malformed and connecting to hers.

"The hell?" she gasped out.

"Basically now, I am in control of your body, and more." As he said that some of the shadow lifted off the ground, grabbed her fan from her hands and tossed it towards the stands.

'What the hell? I don't remember this happening at all!' Naruto thought to himself until he noticed a massive fan in his face. His eyes widened not thinking of anything else to do with it so close, but it never connected. An orb of sand was wrapped around the middle of the fan holding it in place just outside of the Kyuubi field.

"Ah, thanks Gaara. See Sakura he does love me more!" Naruto said challengingly until the very heavy fan just dropped into his lap.

'Kyuubi… why…?'

'Sorry kit but you deserved that one.'Kyuubi said from his cage laughing.

"Ow… Gaara…. Everyone is so mean to me today…" Naruto said while pretending he was hurt, all while keeping a close eye on Shikamaru.

'He shouldn't be able to control his shadow that well yet, and why did he throw that at me. He never does anything on accident.' He thought to himself.

"So you and prevent me from moving by joining our shadows, then you can control your shadow separately as a physical weapon." Temari analyzed.

"Troublesome woman, you don't listen do you? Your lucky your cute or I wouldn't waste my time to explain this." Shikamaru openly flirted while releasing her from his shadow.

"What was that?" Temari said spinning around to face him.

As soon as they were face to face again though their shadows reconnected.

"Now you can just see for yourself what my possession does." Shikamaru said as he took a step forward making her do the same, realizing the trouble she was in she began to sweat.

"W-wait! Your controlling me too?" she questioned.

"Clearly, now say I was an enemy Shin obi, as at the moment I supposedly am one, what would you do now?" he asked.

"What do you want?" she asked trying to offer, not knowing how far he would take this and fearing her life was in danger.

"That was a Very bad way to begin that, since I am in control of your body and I am a Shin obi and you're a Kunoichi, obviously if I wasn't an honorable enemy you would be in real trouble. You know there is a way to get out of this, or you can stay stuck and try and reason with me again. If you want to negotiate be smart about it this time though." Shikamaru lectured taking another small step forward, now they were close enough to reach each other. Pausing though Shikamaru stood there staring straight into Temari's eyes, he could tell she was scared of what he might do now that they were so close.

Sighing he reached his hand up and closed his eyes, with a slight laugh he looked back up at the proctor, "I give up, this is too troublesome to continue. Let her move on." He said as he released the Jutsu.

"What? But you had me! You could have won! I don't take hand outs…" Temari replied heatedly angry because she was confused at why he would just give up when he was in complete control.

"Sorry." Was all he said as he started walking away causing Temari to pause dumb founded.

"Wait! Why did you give up?" she yelled out chasing him into the stair well that climbed back up to the stands near where Ino was sitting.

Shikamaru suddenly stopped and turned around causing Temari to almost run into him. "I just don't like seeing you like that. You're a powerful woman, seeing you scared… I just don't like it. And if I'm the cause… its just not worth it alright?"

"Wh-" Temari began only to be cut off by a new voice.

"Temari, could you please give us a minute." Naruto said standing a bit behind Shikamaru causing Temari to jump, but said Nara didn't even flinch.

"R-right…" she said as she began to walk past them until Shikamaru caught Temari's wrist causing her to pause and look at him shocked, nobody touched her out of fear of her family.

"Listen, I just wanted to say I understand. I know what your about to do and I understand why, I don't blame you, just village orders after all. Just be careful alright?" Shikamaru said looking at her for another moment before letting go.

"Now Temari, I need to speak to your boyfriend alone. Please move along for now." Naruto said in a strangely authoritative way.

"Temari, come along." Gaara's voice rang down the stair well before she could protest. With a sidelong glance at the dark hair Konoha Ninja she ascended the steps and was out of sight.

Alright, here is the next long awaited chapter. I have had this one and 3 more typed up for a while.

Something that you all are probably asking is, "What happened to the Naruto Neji fight?"

Well I had it done, but I kinda lost it? Today is Friday and I wont be back to my main computer to look for it until Monday… oops?

TTR/TAK\XIII