Shinkamaru for the first time since joining team 10 is surprised to find that he is the first member of his team to arrive at the randevous point for what he decided is a ridiculous scenario. "What a drag" he mutters to himself as leans his head back against his arms to look at the sky. The stars are sparkling in the clear night sky with a full moon shining down, illuminating the world around him.

Ino always said that she liked to look at the stars. Probably because they sparkled like her eyes- vanity at it's finest. He found them to be too predictable, unlike his flaxen haired teammate. The clouds moved and changed while the sky seemed to always be constant. Like the Ino-Shika-Cho combination. Always guaranteed to win in a game of hanafuda, and continue through generations of the Nara, Akamichi, and Yamanaka clans.

Chouji appears next to him "Where's Ino?"

Shikamaru shrugs uncaringly "Who knows."

"Last I saw she was at the flower shop reading about the anatomy of the human brain." Chouji replies as he begins to dig through his pockets for a snack.

"Well she is a Yamanaka," Shikamaru drawls. He would never admit it, but the Yamanaka Clan's kekki genkai scares the hell out of him. Especially the clan head Inochi. Shikakau had told him stories about Inochi putting ninjas in comas, driving nin to insanity, and the worst- convincing nin and samurai alike to commit seppuku. The Yamanaka have always been an overlooked, but easily one of the most deadly clans in the Land of Fire.

Rumor has it that Ino is a Yamanaka protege; able to master techniques faster than even her father had been.

Said mind-walker joins them along with Asuma sensai. Shikamaru can't help but notice that Ino is wearing on of his t-shirts-obviously too big for her thin form. His mother had loaned it to her when Ino spent the night because and forgotten her pajamas. It was a pale blue shirt with a picture of a fried egg crawling across it. A speech bubble above said the word "meh".

Ino notices his gaze and blushes.

"Look at you all bright eyed and bushy tailed." Asuma exclaims through and exhale of smoke.

Shikamaru groans.

"Asuma what are we doing exactly?" Chouji asks.

"I'm glad you asked. Kurenai sensai knows the location of my newest pack of cigarettes. I need you three to find it before the sun rises."

"You want us to find a pack of cigarettes?" Ino deadpans.

"No. I want you to work together and use Ino-Shika-Cho as it is designed to do-obtain information. You three are a team- these chunnin exams are driving a wedge between you all."

Shikamaru could feel Ino rolling her eyes. Asuma ignores it.

"Get to work." their sensai vanishes in a puff of smoke.

"Ugh, what a drag."

"Kurenai is a genjutsu master-there's no way." Chouji begin to fret.

Shikamaru sighs. "Troublesome."

"I have an idea." Ino says.

Chouji looks at his teammates- already feeling the tension growing.

"Fine."Shikamaru says curtly crossing his arms over his chest.

Ino narrows her eyes and places her hands on her hips. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing." Shikamaru replies too quickly. He sees the flash in Ino's eyes.

Chouji quickly jumps between them, "Woah!"

Shikamaru steps back and crosses his arms again. "Fine, let's hear this magnificent plan." He is half mocking, but he is also curious, Ino is smart.

Ino obviously isn't sure if she trust Shikamaru's change of heart but she quickly shrugs it off. "Here's what we do."

Earlier that night:

She'd found Shino examining some type of nocturnal insect when she walked to dinner with Sakura. They'd stopped to exchange pleasantries and to scope out the competition.

"I'm studying the lightening bugs. I want to see if they are compatible with my kikaichu. It could prove useful in stealth missions as a form of hidden code passed on through light."

"That's amazing" Ino replied. Damn it he's tall. I wish I could tell how big he is. That stupid jacked hides his chest and shoulders.

She can tell he is measuring her up as well. Despite them both being members of the Rookie Nine, at the end of the day there would only be one victor.

"It is indeed."

"Sounds like you have a long night-we will let you get back to it." Ino said with a wave, grabbing Sakura's arm and dragging her away.

"See you."

During the Night Scenerio:

Sure enough, Shino was exactly where she had left him all those hours prior.

Being in Shino's mind was both exciting and terrifying, she could feel the kikaichu crawling through Shino's body and hear them communicating with one another.

"Invader!" they screamed.

"No! Visitor. I am Shino's friend." Ino tried. She could feel the worker kikaichu begin to swarm throughout Shino's body, trying to find the source of the invasion.

"Please no! I am a friend. You can have all the chakara you want." she bargained, pumping chakara from her own soul into Shino's body. Maybe she could appease them.

The kikaichu seemed to be enthralled by the strange new chakara pouring into the system of their host. The angry buzzing sound quickly began to recede and she decided to take the chance.

Giving the signal to Chouji, she quickly moved into position.

After the Scenerio:

Asuma exhales a puff of smoke as Kurenai nuzzles her head into his chest. "How'd they get you?" he asks.

Kurenai chuckles. "Ino-Shika-Cho generation fifteen. Ino took over Shino's body and approached me. They set up the location perfectly, somewhere I'd be completely off guard; more surprised to see my student than worried about my surroundings. By the time I realized that Shino was not Shino, Shikamaru had me trapped in his shadow posession jutzu, and Chouji had a kunai to my throat.

Asuma chuckles.

"It was Ino's idea." Kurenai spoke.

"Eh?" Asuma asks.

"Yes. Of course Ino was more than happy to brag to Shikamarut hat her plan worked. I am impressed."

Asuma inhales and exhales his thoughts moving to his only female student. "It was her idea, eh?" he repeats. "Ino is full of surprises. I think that almost losing to Sakura who certainly was nowhere near the took of the class shook her. She's stubborn and competitive-hot headed and vain.

"Those are interesting qualities in a kunochi, similar to Anko. Ino is also already growing up to be a beautiful kunochi- and as a Yamanaka vital to espinage." Kurenai says softly.

Asuma decides to remain silent, he didn't want to imagine his 12 year old (almost 13) student as a piece of meat.

Kurenai kisses his neck, "I have an idea even better than Ino's"

Asuma quickly extinguishes his cigarette and rolls on top of the beautiful woman next to him.