Dear Readers,

I'm starting out again. This time Temari's not in the way. Last Time: Everyone was at the photo shoot, but Asuma's team was late. In the picture they were running.

By the way, I want to thank one special reviewer (don't worry you all are special)- Amy! Thanks so much!

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Shikamaru heard the talking from downstairs. Ino turned to her boy friend. Shikamaru stared back.

"We know it sucks, but we don't really have a choice." Shikamaru told Chouji.

"It isn't fair! Why is it me! I don't want to go home!" Chouji put his head in his lap.

"CHOUJI!" A yell from downstairs.

Chouji walked out of the bedroom and down the stairs.

"Your father's outside." Asuma said.

"Thanks." Chouji looks away from him. "I'll miss you."

"It's ok. We'll see you next summer. The forest of death still has some repairs to be made." Asuma assured him.

Chouji walked out the door and a horse could be heard. Shikamaru and Ino watched from Chouji's bedroom window. A carriage being pulled by a horse disappeared in the distance. Ino and Shikamaru walked down the stairs.

"Asuma says that Chouji will be back in the summer next year for the rest of the Chunin Exam" Shikamaru tried to cheer her up.

The couple walked into the kitchen. It was dark out.

"You guys have to go to bed." Asuma said while pulling a frozen, gorilla arm out of the fridge. "how did that get in there and where did it come from?"

"Asuma…" Shikamaru was speechless.

"Yes, Shikamaru?"

"…good night. See you in the morning."

When Shikamaru left, so did Ino.

Shikamaru lay down on his bed. He turned to look at his Chunin Exam photo. Something was missing.

"What! How is it possible! He was there when we took the picture! He should be in it!" Shikamaru panicked as he saw someone missing from the picture, who was supposed to be there.

"Home! Home on the Range! Where Chouji used to go change! Where he used to bath and he used to say, "Eat whenever I say... hey." " Asuma's sang from downstairs.

"Shut UP! YOU SUCK AT SINGING!" Shikamaru yelled.

"Your just jealous that I can sing and I can make up good lyrics!….HOME! HOME ON…"

"Stop SINGING!"

"I WASN'T SINGING!"

"YES YOU WERE! I HEARD YOU WITH MY OWN EARS!" Shikamaru shouted as he rolled over on the bed to get a closer look. There definitely was someone missing from the picture.

Was his dreams trying to tell him something, though he could now see the missing person.

"Your suppose to be asleep." Asuma whispered through Shikamaru's door.

"I can't…."

"I know, I miss him as well." Asuma sighed as he walked into the room.

Shikamaru felt like a little kid at the moment, a son and his father having a talk before they go to bed.

Though Asuma didn't feel exactly what Shikamaru was feeling. He was still confused by Temari and her evil moment, he had a girlfriend now and he kept having weird dreams with hallucinations.

"I thought I could convince his father to let him stay." Asuma looked at the floor, obviously recalling some recent events.

"Why did he have to leave?" Shikamaru shifted so he could see his sensei.

"This talk is nice, though it's really late and you should be getting some sleep."

Shikamaru grumbled because he knew Asuma wouldn't tell him.

Asuma left Shikamaru dozing into another dream or maybe even a vision……

"Shikamaru? Aren't friends suppose to help each other?"

"Of course, I told you that a million times."

"Then why didn't you help me?"

"What do you mean?"

Shikamaru heard the scream and saw all the images come flashing into his mind.

"Some friend you are!"

"Wait… who is that?"

A flash came of Neji bleeding on top of a hospital bed. Tenten sitting by the bed crying and screaming.

"Shikamaru… Hello…….. wake up."

Shikamaru sat up quickly yelling , "Neji!"

"What happened to Neji?" Asuma asked while sticking his head in the door crack.

"That wasn't me.. It was…Ino."

"Ino dreams of Neji? That's weird."

"INO! INO! INO! INO! INO! INO!" the audience cheers.

"And our next fashion model has been in the business for 5 years! Please welcome… Ino Yamanaka!" the announcer called.

"Ino…….?"

"Thank you. Thank you. You're too kind."

"Ino?"

"Huh? What!"

"You were dreaming…."

"Yah."

"…about…."

"About what?"

"…Neji."

"NEJI!"

BAM! SMACK! CRASH! BOINK! BOOM! SLAP! KAPOW! POKE! BAMP!

Shikamaru walked in the hallway as he heard these strange sounds coming from Ino's room. Asuma came out with a black eye and lots of scrapes and bruises.

"What happened Asuma?"

"Ino got made at me for saying she dreams of Neji."

"I'll talk to her."

"Oh… no! You don't want to do…."

"I'm capable of talking to my girlfriend!"

"FINE! Suit yourself!"

Shikamaru walked to Ino's door.

"Ino?"

"grumble…who does he think he is…"

Fine… I'll just invite myself in. Shikamaru thought.

Shikamaru opened the door and walked in.

"YOU! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" Ino screamed.

"What are…..AH! YOUR TOP! OH MY GOD!" Shikamaru's mouth dropped.

"YOU JERK!"

"Ino…. Don't be mad. Ino? WAIT! NO! ASUMA! HELP!"

Kin opened her eyes to see Zaku practising on a tree. She turned to see Dosu laying beside her. She hated him.

Why did she make us leave the battle? thought Zaku.

Flashback

Zaku looked at Dosu, then Kin. With a faint voice she said "Your so stubborn, we can't be beaten by these kids and if we stay they will. Let's get out of here and regain our strength."

Zaku immediately grabbed his team-mates and ran.

End Flashback

"Zaku…"

"Huh? Oh. You!"

"What about ME!"

"Why did you tell me to run away! I could have totally beat that Hyuga boy!"

"You would have been beaten to death! We would have all died!"

"Whatever! I say we wake up Dosu from his nap and go find that kid who did this!"

"Neji Hyuga was the #1 rookie last year! Do you actually THINK!"

"CALM DOWN!"

"HOW CAN I!"

Dosu woke up to hear the two fighting.

"I think…." He began.

"SHUUTTTTT UUUUPPP!"

"Lets go." Zaku commanded and began to walk away. Dosu followed and Kin had to as well. She couldn't leave them to die. She really wanted to, though.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Shikamaru, Ino

Shikamaru ran down the stairs.

"Your still alive, Shikamaru?"

"She took it as a compliment."

Ino walked down.

"Oh yah.. You guys have a mission."

"Alone?"

"I'm the replacement." A voice came from behind.

"Huh?"

Shikamaru turned to see some weird guy in a mask.

"Who the hell are you?"

"I am Hakunara. Your replacement."

"Hakunara?"

"OK." Asuma continued. "Your mission is to retrieve a missile in about….. 15 minutes at the 3rd docking house near the pier. It's aimed to destroy the whole earth. Good luck!"

The three ran off as quick as they could.

When they got to the boating house it had already been 10 minutes. LATE!

They walked into the boathouse to see someone already operating the missile. Shikamaru ran at the person and kicked. They grabbed his foot and pulled him against the wall.

"Neji? What are you doing?"

"What do you think? I'm ready to destroy you and the Earth."

"You Trader!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Zaku, Kin and Dosu

Zaku ran and punched Neji in the back of the head and began to punch his back. Neji turned around and poked at him. Kin was in the way. She fell to the ground. Zaku ran after Neji and kneed him in the nose. IT bled and bled.

Tenten grabbed Kin and threw her. When Neji was hit in the nose, Tenten was distracted and Kin broke her jaw.

Rock Lee watched Dosu carefully. He was ready for his rematch and would win this time. He ran after Dosu. Dosu used his sound waves to hit Rock Lee. Then he kicked him in the gut. Rock Lee landed in front of him and used his Leaf Hurricane to trip Dosu.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Shikamaru, Ino, and Hakunara

Hakunara put his hands together.

"Secret Jutsu: Crystal Ice Mirrors!" large mirrors made out of ice appeared around Neji. Hakunara's reflection was in every one of the mirrors. Needles came out of them and hit Neji. Neji jumped through and out of a nearby window.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Zaku, Kin and Dosu

Zaku heard someone coming. His plan was going so well. He grabbed Kin's leg and dragged her away and Dosu followed. Tenten and Rock Lee ran after them, not aware that Neji had noticed they were copies. The real Zaku, Dosu and Kin all ran at Neji.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Shikamaru, Ino and Hakunara

Shikamaru and his team-mates followed Neji to a clearing where Neji was being beaten by the sound ninjas. He was still kicking some butt.

A large blade came down and paralysed Neji. He couldn't move! He was going to be killed! He turned his head to see Shikamaru and his team-mates.

"Help…..Shikamaru….."

Ino ran up, but Shikamaru put his hand out to stop her.

"Shikamaru?"

"Leave him. He's not worth it. He deserves to die."

The horrible visions of Neji laying in a hospital bed rushed through his mind. Blood.

Shikamaru began to shake with laughter. Shadow covered his face.

"HERE COMES THE BLOOD." He said with an evil smile. His head went up. "OKAY! Shadow Possession Jutsu!"

Shikamaru's shadow emerged with Zaku's shadow. Zaku uses his Super Sonic Sound Wave attack to blow his team-mates into a tree. Shikamaru stabs the two one by one followed by Zaku (still under the Jutsu) stabbing them one by one as well. Shikamaru continues to use his new puppet to help beat up Dosu and Kin. Suddenly, a cloud is cast over the sun. Shikamaru's Jutsu was useless without shadows. Shikamaru didn't realise. He tried to make Zaku stab his team-mates, but Zaku just stood there.

"Huh? Oh man. The shadows are gone." Shikamaru said to himself.

Shikamaru ran to attack Kin.

"Super Sonic Sound –" Zaku was cut off by a jab in the stomach from Ino.

Dosu put up his arm and a huge blow of sound travelled from his weird thing on his wrist.

"SHIKAMARU! NNNNOOOO!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

OH NO! No SHIKAMARU! What will happen to Neji and Shikamaru and who is this new guy that replaced Chouji?