I don't usually like author notes before a chapter, so please excuse this little interruption. Recent events in the CANON Japanese manga have …disrupted the background I put in place for this (and other) stories. I can't help that. Nor am I going to go back and change things at this late date. I apologize and hope you understand.

Certain things in this chapter might be considered spoilers as to how Shino fights post-Shippuden. Keep that in mind and read at your own risk. LOL!

o.o.o.o.o

Nara Shikamaru was not having a good time. Only, he couldn't figure out why. Life was just about perfect right now. No troublesome women he had to juggle to keep them from finding out about each other. His best friend was head over heels in love, and the girl was perfect for him. Even his mother had stopped nagging him and now only shot him dirty looks about three times a day. And yesterday, he'd come soooo close to beating his father at Shogi.

Perfect.

So why did he feel so damned restless? Shikamaru sighed and looked around at the people around him. The Winter Festival was in full swing. The food was good, his wallet was fat, and no one was bugging him.

Lazily he walked toward a sweets vendor. He didn't care much for sweets, but maybe he could cut his mother's dirty looks down to twice a day with a thoughtful gift. As long as it wasn't too troublesome, he eyed the crowd and decided that he could live with his mother's disdain. The line was too long and he didn't want to bother.

Slowly, he stopped, and looked back at the vendor. Why? Why not bother? It wasn't like he had anything else to do, was it?

A certain well-known shape became visible as a group of kids left the sweet vendor's place, moving out of the way of the engrossed couple. Shikamaru caught his breath as he saw Hinata wrapped up in Chouji's arms, the two senseless to everything else except each other.

Damn. Chouji wasn't interested in hanging with him right now. And he'd be damned if he became the third wheel on their date. Shikamaru sighed, rubbing absently at his chest.

He turned, stopped, and looked back at the young couple. His analytical mind arrived at the inevitable conclusion, though he shook his head in denial.

Women were troublesome. They weren't worth the effort, he concluded even knowing he was lying to himself. Hell, he might as well face the truth.

"I'm bored." He muttered under his breath, deliberately walking away from Chouji and Hinata. Shikamaru frowned deeply, he finally had the perfect life and he was completely and utterly bored with it. "Shit."

He stopped and eyed the dancers in the street, wondering if he'd be able to cross without getting trampled. That's when he became aware of the harsh buzzing sound. Alarmed, he looked around, scanning the area. Nothi …no, not nothing …kikai beetles. The place was swarming with the kikai beetles. They were difficult to see in the darkness, but there they were in the light of the festive lanterns that decorated the street.

Shikamaru looked around and sure enough, where there were kikai there was also an Aburame. The shadow-nin widened his eyes as he saw in which direction Shino was staring so intently.

Temari? Kissing Sasuke? Shikamaru felt a pang of regret, then nearly laughed out loud as he saw the blonde open her eyes and stare out at the dancers. Apparently Sasuke wasn't a good kisser. He peeked over at Shino, but the bug-nin was frowning harder than ever.

"What's going on?"

Shikamaru turned and found Naruto and his date beside him, also watching the scene unfolding before them. The shadow-nin looked at the girl and recognized her from her father's ramen shop. He frowned, how pathetic was he that Naruto had a date and he didn't? Weren't they both on that stupid 'undateable' list?

"Hey watch out!" Naruto yelled as someone bumped into Ayame suddenly. "Oh! Kakashi-sensei! Something's going on!"

Kakashi stopped as he caught sight of Sasuke, who was now staring across the suddenly bare street at Aburame Shino. He felt like turning away, but couldn't.

"This is stupid! I've got to stop this!" Naruto yelled as he saw Sasuke push Temari away and sneer at Shino. The kikai bugs around them rattled their wings angrily, the noise growing as people scattered away from the area.

Kakashi and Shikamaru both put one hand on Naruto's shoulders. The copy-nin was the first to speak. "Shino's about to attack, you don't want to interfere."

"But …but …" Naruto sputtered, then glared at Kakashi. "Don't you care about what happens to Sasuke?"

The copy-nin shrugged. "Not really." He lied coolly.

Naruto went red in the face. "But Kakashi-sensei! If Shino attacks Sasuke, Sasuke will KILL him and then he'll be thrown out of Konoha for good!"

Kakashi shook his head. "You could be placing your wager on the wrong horse, Naruto. But don't worry, Sasuke's too smart to do anything lethal within Konoha while he's trying to make a good impression. And Shino's too in control …." He sucked in a harsh breath as he heard Shino speak.

"Spread." The voice was low, dark, and determined. And it scared everyone who heard it.

Kakashi looked around wildly for back-up. "Strike that, we've got a serious issue right now!"

Naruto shook his head as he relaxed slightly. "Why? Shino just dismissed his bugs."

Shikamaru's hand tightened painfully on the blond's shoulder. "No, no he didn't. He covered the area. Now if Sasuke tries to move out of the vicinity, he can't. He's trapped."

o.o.o.o.o

Temari looked on as the kikai bugs spread out over the entire area. Her stomach churned as she looked over at Shino. "What are you doing?" She whispered. Then louder, "Shino! What the hell are you doing?"

Sasuke shook his head. "Get out of the way. Can't you see that you've taken this whole 'make Shino jealous' thing too far?"

The Sand kunoichi gasped and stared at him stonily. "That wasn't the plan! He dumped ME! I just wanted him to know it didn't hurt!"

"Whatever lie makes you feel better." Snarled Sasuke. "But still, you'd better go."

Temari shook her head and looked over at Shino. "No! I'm going to put an end to this nonsense!" She avowed and took three steps across the road. A buzzing sound was her only warning as the kikai refused to part for her.

Suddenly she was airborne, shrieking until she landed next to her brother. Kankuro wrapped her in his chakra strings and held her as she struggled and cursed. TenTen just watched with wide eyes, fingering the ribbons in her long hair, hoping not to have to activate the weapons against one of her own.

"Kankuro! You jerk! Let me go!" Temari struggled, but just as soon as she'd severed the first chakra strings holding her, more formed to hold her captive.

"Shhhh ….Temari, shut up!" Kankuro grabbed her chin and turned her head so she was facing the fight. She watched in horror as she realized that Shino hadn't even noticed she'd left, so focused was he on Sasuke.

"He wouldn't hurt me." She whispered.

Kankuro shook his head. "I've fought him, you haven't. This is a thousand times worse than what I faced all those years ago. I'm not having you in the middle of it."

"Sasuke." Shino's voice didn't rise, and there was no inflection. Still, the deadness of his tone had her nearly gagging. Then she swayed as she watched the last of the Uchiha teleport away.

Only …only she knew that teleportation ninjutsu only meant the person was moving at incredible speeds. That's all, it just looked like real teleportation to civilians. But what had her worried was that the kikai bugs were remaining honed in on Sasuke.

Wherever Sasuke appeared, the bugs were there almost as soon as he was. There was no getting away from them.

"They're locked onto his chakra." Kankuro said grimly. "No matter where Sasuke goes, they'll follow. And the bugs are spread out everywhere. He can't get away."

o.o.o.o.o

Uchiha Sasuke was fast coming to the same conclusion. He'd wanted to avoid a fight, not that he didn't know he would win, for he would of course. No, he didn't want to jinx his new petition to the council for a full return to Konoha by killing a Leaf citizen.

"Shino. It was only a pretend date. She was trying to make you jealous." Sasuke didn't bother trying to keep Temari's confidences. He simply was looking after his own best interest. And he couldn't afford to kill the heir to one of the oldest families in the village. "Don't make me have to hurt you."

o.o.o.o.o

Kakashi winced, shaking his head.

Shikamaru whispered over to him. "Doesn't Sasuke realize that we've all grown stronger over the years?"

"Apparently not." Kakashi said.

o.o.o.o.o

"You leave me no choice." Sasuke intoned and then sped over to just in front of Shino, his Sharingan activated.

Shino smiled.

Sasuke didn't like the look of the Aburame's smile. He began a genjutsu that would end this whole farce of a fight.

Shino laughed. This made everyone in the immediate vicinity cringe and step back. Aburame's didn't laugh, it was just a given. Besides, this laughter sounded sinister and dark, menacing even.

Sasuke frowned sharply. The genjutsu wasn't connecting, it wasn't working at all.

"My eyes are closed." Shino said plainly. "You can't use your Sharingan on my jutsu as it is unique to my clan and you have no kikai that you are in tune with. Even if you perfectly mimic my ability, you have no hive to command. Secondly, you can't use your genjutsu as my eyes are closed. Did you forget my sensei is also a genjutsu specialist?"

Sasuke shifted slightly, refusing to admit he had not recalled that about Shino. But the bug user was right, Kurenai would have taught her students not only how to break genjutsu, but also how to avoid it completely.

Kakashi moved forward then. "This is over now. Shino, let him go."

"Let HIM go?" Sasuke sneered. "He never had me. Sure he can avoid my bloodline limit by keeping his eyes shut, but that doesn't mean he's won."

"You don't get it, do you?" Kakashi hissed. "He doesn't need to see you to fight you. Not with the kikai. THEY see you, and are immune to genjutsu. The kikai are not intelligent as we know it, they don't think like we do. Genjutsu is useless against them."

Sasuke frowned as he realized he'd underestimated this particular Leaf shinobi. He reached behind him and loosened his sword.

"He threatens me." Shino said, hearing the rustle of clothing and reading the escalating buzzing of his beloved kikai.

"No Sasuke, don't!" Many voices shouted a warning, but he ignored them all as he pulled his sword.

Then one word stopped him in his tracks.

"Swarm."

o.o.o.o.o

Kurenai and Kiba arrived with Tsunade and several ANBU members in tow.

"Shit!" Kurenai yelled as she heard Shino's one word attack.

The command from the Aburame had every kikai in the area suddenly envelop Sasuke in a cocoon of darkness. The bugs moved as swift as lightening as they covered the former missing-nin completely, no part of him was left bared, no part of him showed, and no sound was heard over the angry sound of hungry kikai destruction beetles.

Kiba looked back and forth between the wildly flailing Uchiha who was covered in a black swarm of kikai, and his friend, Shino. Clearly, he was torn as to what to do.

The ANBU laughed and pointed at Sasuke's bug-covered body as he screamed and ran around the area. Not being able to see, he ran right into a wall. Shino winced as several of his kikai were squished in the process.

Kakashi sighed and Tsunade walked up to Shino, clucking her tongue. "Let him go, you've proved your point."

Naruto looked heavily upset as he fought loose of Shikamaru's grip. Ayame was watching with awe as her boyfriend started yelling at their Hokage. He was so brave!

"Stop him! Sasuke's chakra will be eaten by the bugs and he'll DIE!" Naruto yelled, looking wild eyed.

Tsunade shrugged, then winced as she grabbed Naruto before he could attack Shino. "Calm down, calm down! It looks bad, but I don't sense Sasuke's chakra levels dropping. The kikai could kill him now, but they're not. Are they Shino?"

The Aburame finally turned from watching Sasuke floundering to shake his head at Tsunade. "I did hear right though? It wasn't a real date?"

TenTen stepped in front of a still struggling Temari. "She was hurt you dumped her. She has a right to date, or not date, anyone else!"

Tsunade nodded to the ANBU with her. "Take Shino in for me, will you? And Shino, let go of Sasuke now. Since you're not going to kill him, you might as well let him go."

Naruto looked puzzled as he looked at everyone around him. Kakashi took pity on him and pointed at Sasuke as the bugs started to leave him. "It was a killing attack, but Shino didn't allow his bugs to eat Sasuke's chakra. He beat him, but isn't going to kill him."

"But …but …" Naruto looked on in awe as wave after wave of kikai bugs started to pull away. "But Sasuke couldn't be caught like that. He's …he's too good …."

"Obviously, you're wrong." Kakashi smiled beneath his mask. "Actually, I didn't know Shino had achieved this level of mastery. I've only seen his father perform those commands before." The copy-nin shook his head in admiration. "And to command the kikai to swarm, but not to devour the target's chakra? Truly impressive. Not every Aburame has that level of control and power. Look, the most Sasuke will come away with is a few bug bites and hurt pride."

"Oh." Naruto said, subdued as Sasuke slowly came back into view.

Kakashi scratched his head as he admitted something. "You know, I'm not sure I could get away from that attack. It would take a mastery of time and space ninjutsu. I don't really have that skill level, not yet anyway."

"Time and space ninjutsu?" Shikamaru asked, joining them.

The copy-nin spread his hands in a shrug. "True teleportation, not just enhanced speed."

"Wow!" Naruto moaned, his eyes getting huge. Ayame choked and turned away in horror.

"I know, it's a heady thought. To actually be able to teleport. Still, it's beyond difficult and …" Kakashi paused as Naruto tugged on his jacket. He turned to look where his former student was pointing and his jaw dropped. "Wow." He agreed.

Shino turned as well and felt his stomach churn. He looked over at the Hokage. "I didn't plan this."

Tsunade nodded as she watched, her own eyes wide with shock. "Did you know though?"

Shino shook his head as ANBU surrounded him. "The kikai must have bit him, even though they didn't consume his chakra. Still, I had no idea anyone was allergic to the kikai."

The Hokage nodded even as she winced, watching Sasuke's face puff up like a blow fish. His eyes were already swelling shut and his hands looked like over-stuffed sausages. "I'd better get him to the hospital before his breathing stops."

Sasuke choked and his gasping breath ceased, horrid gagging noises were all that could be heard.

Tsunade nodded and grabbed him, making a dash for the hospital.

o.o.o.o.o

Several hours later, the door to Shino's cell rattled. He looked up as Tsunade entered and grabbed a chair, spinning it to straddle it backwards.

"Does the Uchiha live?" He asked bluntly.

Tsunade nodded. "He's covered from head to foot in lotions and potions, but his breathing is finally stabilized."

Shino grunted.

"He's breathing through a tube, and is in a lot of pain, but he's stable.

Shino had the grace to drop his gaze and nod. Though he refused to apologize.

Luckily, Tsunade wasn't interested in apologies. "The council, or most that could be found that were still sober, have decided not to arrest you."

"Oh?" The bug-ninja looked up, though he didn't look surprised.

The Hokage's eyes narrowed. "You'd counted on that?"

Shino shrugged. "I am an Aburame. He is a traitor, the last of the Uchiha. My standing is better in council eyes than he is at the moment. He's not even currently a member of this village."

Tsunade contemplated his answer a moment, then grinned and shook her head. "I don't buy it. You want me to think you were completely in control the whole time. Just don't forget, I'm a medical specialist, I know the signs of stress and anger better than anyone here. You'd lost it. Completely lost control."

Two small spots of red colored his cheekbones as Shino looked away. He was not going to admit she was right. Up until Sasuke had told him that his date with Temari wasn't real, he'd not been in control of his actions at all. Something that he wasn't very proud of, and something he was not going to speak of aloud. "Am I free to go?" Was all he asked.

The Hokage grunted and stood. "We're more alike than I'd realized, Shino. Just remember, any more attacks and the council may not look so kindly on you."

Shino stood and picked up his jacket, shrugging into it quickly.

"And you're attack may have hurt Sasuke physically, but you helped his cause."

In mid-motion, his body froze, his jacket hanging from one shoulder. "What?"

Tsunade chuckled. "Being humiliated like that? Some of the councilors and many of the populace now feel …a bit sorry for the poor orphan. He's just gained a few more votes to stay here in Konoha on a permanent basis."

Shino growled as he exited, leaving Tsunade grinning after him as she whistled jauntily.

o.o.o.o.o

Hanabi flipped through the magazine, though there was little to interest her in the fashions popular with nobility. Still twits. Who cared if pink was in or out? She wouldn't wear it either way.

A groan had her eyes cutting over to the patient on the bed. She grinned as she saw his swollen lips move.

"Shhh …." Hanabi whispered. "You're eyes are still swollen shut, though the swelling is going down. Some."

His lips moved, but no words formed.

"You can't speak because of the tube in your throat. You're going to be fine though, no lasting damage. And you've gotten a lot of sympathy from people stopping by. Some elder council members as well. Who knew? Getting totally trounced by some bugs might be the best thing that ever happened to you."

He groaned and his fingers twitched.

Hanabi laughed. "Are you trying to make a fist? You might want to wait until the swelling goes down. If you constrict your muscles you will further decrease the blood flow into your extremities. You could lose a few fingers that way." She lied.

It worked though, as he immediately stopped moving.

"Now then." Hanabi came up to his bedside, leaning down to speak directly into his ear. "The medics were concerned you'd wake up unable to see and talk and completely freak out. So they asked for volunteers to sit with you, keep you company. I took the second shift, you slept through the first."

Sasuke tried to lick his lips, but was having a hard time. Suddenly some ice chips were placed on his dry lips and he nearly wept at the cool moisture.

Hanabi grinned down at him, and if he'd been able to see her, he would have fallen into a defensive position.

"Now. You're stalking my sister, right?"

In his bed, Sasuke suddenly stiffened, wary.

Hanabi patted his shoulder. "No, don't be worried. I'm not going to attack a man who is down." He relaxed slowly. "And humiliated and defeated already." He growled, or tried to at least.

She laughed and patted his hand this time. "Never mind. I seem to be having a negative affect on you. I guess I won't talk about the humiliating fight you just lost in front of nearly every villager we have. I'll just sit here and read. Call my name if you need anything." She taunted him, knowing good and well he couldn't talk with a tube in his throat.

With that, she flipped open the magazine and began to read aloud to him. "Pink is by far the most popular color of the season. Although black is still wonderfully slimming, we here at the fashion institute feel that it conjures up images of grisly ninja rather than elegance." Hanabi frowned. "I don't feel that black is a dour color, do you Sasuke? Blood doesn't stain it half as bad as it would pink. Well, never mind, let's keep going."

Sasuke winced and moaned and wished he were still unconscious.

"How to get rid of unwanted attention." Hanabi crowed happily. "Oh Sasuke! It's the perfect article for you. Well, for Hinata actually. Anyway, here we go. 'Ladies, when the male of our species just won't take a subtle hint …."

Sasuke shuddered. Unconscious? Right now he wished Shino HAD killed him!

o.o.o.o.o

Shino let himself into the house and paused at the foot of the stairs. The light in his father's study was still on, and he knew he couldn't avoid this discussion. What had happened tonight was a disgrace. He'd lost his temper and nearly killed a man. Not that he cared particularly for the Uchiha, but he did care that he'd besmirched his clan's name by his actions.

He knocked on the study door. His father answered the summons, then stepped out of his study and gestured for Shino to enter first.

Stepping into his father's study with a heavy heart, Shino missed the chakra signature and was shocked as Temari stood up from a chair next to his father's desk. Her teal eyes watched him warily. The bug-nin turned to look at his father. Shibi nodded toward Temari and then shut the door of his study, leaving the two of them alone together.

Temari just stared at him. Shino silently wished his father had torn the flesh from his bones rather than to have left him to face her all on his own.

o.o.o.o.o

Hanabi closed the magazine with a small flourish, which was wasted on Sasuke as he still couldn't see. "Well, that's the end of the magazines. I hope we all learned something new. Did you realize that silver chopsticks were now considered elitist and gauche? I certainly didn't. Though, I've never eaten with any, have you?"

Sasuke wiggled his foot. He'd been trying for a toe, but the whole foot moved as the swelling interfered with his gross and fine motor control.

"Well, I have bad news." Hanabi sighed unhappily. "My shift is over now."

He could have wept in relief.

"The good news is that I volunteered for the next shift too, though! Isn't that grand?" Hanabi's voice was full of mischievous glee.

His lips moved in a helpless curse, but the tube in his throat kept the words locked within his mind.

Hanabi clapped her hands. "Now, I don't have another magazine, so I can't read to you."

Sasuke stilled, he would have been thrilled by the lack of inane reading material if he weren't so sure she had something even nastier up her sleeve.

"So I'll sing for you instead." She smiled beatifically, though he couldn't see her. "To keep your spirits high."

The first three off-key notes had him almost ready to hold his breath until he passed out. A whole verse later, he tried it. Only, he couldn't hold his breath because of the damned tube down his damned throat! He was trapped!

Hanabi grinned and kept singing as she watched him twitch and shudder on the bed. This should help teach him not to mess around with the Hyuuga clan. She might not be able to fight him one on one, but she did know how to fight dirty.

o.o.o.o.o

Hope you enjoyed! REVIEWS are always welcome. And no, Shino's fight wasn't EXACTLY like in the canon manga, I'm well aware that my story pales in comparison to the canon. But then, I don't own Naruto ... LOL!