"Okay, Yumi. This is how you point it; all you have to do is pull the trigger."

"Okay!"

*5 minutes later*

"AH, DAMNIT!"

Shikamaru sat on the ground, and Neji wrapped a bandige around his finger. "Shikamaru, cool it. It was her first time handling a gun. And it was your fault for being so close to the bullseye." Shikamaru groaned as he looked at Neji. "This is so fucking troublesome..." He whispered as he closed his eyes, tilting his head back. Neji chuckled. "Haven't heard that in a while." Yumi was sitting next to Shikamaru, and she sighed as she looked up at him. "I'm sorry I shot your finger..." "It's okay." He whispered as he looked at her. "The bullet only scratched it. It didn't actually go through it." Yumi crawled into his lap, and Shikamaru pushed her pigtails out of the way. "...Yumi, you need a haircut." Yumi looked at him, and then titled her haid slightly in a confused expression. "...what do you mean?" "I mean that you should get some of that hair chopped off. It's a weakness to have long hair. Especially if it's in a pigtail." Yumi screamed as she got out of his lap and started to run around in circles while holding her pigtails.

"I DON'T WANNA HAIR CUT!!!!!"

Shikamaru got up, and while she was running past him grabbed one of her pigtails. She yelped, and then was dragged to his face. "See? Someone could really hurt you with that." Yumi looked down. "...and maybe we should die your hair. Blonde...it's...just not gang-like, ya know?" Yumi looked up at him. "Do you wanna die it black? Or red? Or purple! Or pink! Or yellow!" Yumi said, getting carried away. "Or-" "I think brown will be just fine." He said.

Kiba went to the store and bought a bottle of brown hair dye, and then Shikamaru sat Yumi down. "...shouldn't you wash it before you cut it?" Shikamaru groaned. "Yumi, we'll just cut it dry, and then put the dye in your hair and then wash it out. Got it?" Yumi nodded. "Gotcha!"

Shikamaru put her hair down, and brushed through it a few tmies before looking at her in the mirror. "...what do you want done?" Yumi closed her eyes. "Anything. I don't care. Just don't make it too short." Shikamaru nodded, and then grabbed the scissors...

"AH! SHIKA!" Shikamaru rolled his eyes as she screamed. "Yumi, calm down." "IT'S HORRIBLE!" "No, it's not. You just don't like it because there are no pigtails." The hair was down to her shoulders, bearly, and it was peiced up. Then she had bangs, which stopped at her eyebrows.

"Now let's dye it brown." Yumi pouted as she looked up at him. "...fine." She muttered as she loooked away. Shikamaru put the dye in her hair, and laughed as she had to plug her nose because of the smell. "...okay, it's been 30 minutes." Shikamaru walked Yumi to the sink and then washed her hair out. "Dry her hair, would 'ya?" Shikamaru asked as he looked at Ciyasha. "I'm gonna smoke a cigerette."

Ciyasha blowed dry her hair, and Yumi sighed as she messed with it a little. "...I guess it's not THAT bad..." "Your fuckin' right, it's not!" Ciyasha said as she smiled. "It looks hot!" Naruto yelled from the kitchen. "Naruto, what are you doing?" Ciyasha asked as she got up, walking to the kitchen. Yumi got up, looking in the mirror one more time, before walking onto the balcony where Shikamaru was.

Shikamaru looked into the night sky, and held the ciggerette in the hand that Yumi had shot. She walked over to him, and smiled as he looked at her. "...you like it?" She whispered. Shikamaru smiled slightly as he brushed his fingers in it. "Yeah. But I hate the smell." Yumi giggled as she put her head on his shoulder. "...Shika....do you ever think that I'll become a great gang member?" "No." He said, and then inhauled some of the smoke, dragging it out, before exhauling it. "But I'm hoping that I'll train you to be a better fighter. Your the worst in the group." Yumi looked down. "I know..." He kissed her lips, just a gentle kiss, before smiling. "Let's go down and eat something." He whispered.

Yumi grabbed his hand as they walked down the stiars. "It feels weird..." Yumi whispered as she put her fingers through it. "I bet it does...you've been growing that hair out for a long time. And there are two bag fulls of your hair. Personaly, I like it." He kissed her forehead, and they reached the kitchen. "Damnit, Naruto! How many fuckin' times do I have to tell you not to cook cereal?!" Ciyasha yelled. Naruto pouted. "Well, it's not MY fault. Blame the stove!.....hey, could you make me some ramon?" Ciyasha sighed. She was the best cook. "Sure, Naruto."

"...what?!" Yumi screamed. She was sitting at the table, and Shikamaru shrugged. "Just a sigestion..." He said as he ate a spoonfull of ramon. "My cloaths, too?! Shika, you can't change me completly!" He sighed. "Yumi, I'm changing everything for a reason. And with that skimpy little outfit, you don't know who will jump you, just to get their hands on you." Yumi pouted as she closed her eyes. "This isn't FAIR!" Shikamaru looked at her, and groaned. "Come on, Yumi. You love shopping. I'm ASING YOU to go shopping!" Yumi opened her eyes, and then smiled. "...it is!" She whispered. Shikamaru nodded, and got up, putting his bowel in the sink. "Yeah. Now, here;" He handed her a few hundreds. "Spend that on some things that you think are cute, but I'm gonna go through them and make sure that there not too skimpy. Okay?" Yumi nodded, smiling from ear to ear. "Okay!"

Yumi kissed him, and he grabbed her hand before she left. "...please be careful." He whispered as he looked at her. "I know we haven't gone over the knife yet...but you need to take this with you;" He handed her a small red switchblade, with rubies on it. "I got it for you yesterday." Yumi nodded. "You might need it....because there going to be jumping us even more than usual." Yumi nodded. "I love you." She whispered, and then kissed him quickly before running outside.

Yumi put it in her purse, and then skipped to her favorite store. When she got there, she smiled at all of the goods. "Oh...no!" She bit her lip, and slowly walked away from the mini-skirt that she was dying to have. "Okay.... gotta make this less skimpy." She grabbed tons of skinny jeans, which where a dark blue, and then some T-shirts that were a little loose. She then got some excessories, which Shika probably wouldn't mind. "This should do it." She bought it, and made sure to hide her cash, and put the small excessories in her purse before walking outside, to head back home.

She looked around, and then bit her lip. She didn't have a very good feeling, and there wasn't very many people around. She had maken it half way home, so she started to slowly go faster. She got her switchblade out, just in case. After a few more feet, she felt someone's hand on her shoulder. "Hello." Shino whispered. Yumi froze still, hiding the switchblade in her hands. "...don't worry..." He whispered, and he smiled as Chouij came on the other side. It figures that when Shikamaru wouldn't allow Chouji to join the gang, because he was too unfit to defend himself very well, Chouji lost a ton of wait. And then he went on the opposite side. He was tall, skinny, and had a bad habbet of drinking. "...you'll only be in the hospital for a...little while..." Yumi closed her eyes. I better use it... She thought to herself. "Now; look at me." Shino put himself infront of her, and she slowly opened her eyes. "I want to see the woman I hurt before I hurt her...and then leave a little mark on her shoulder..." He closed his eyes for a moment, and Yumi hesitatly brought the knife into view, and then kicked him. "OH, SHIT!" Shino bit is lip as he fell down on his knees, and then winced in pain as he held his pants erea. Yumi started to run as fast as she could, and she screamed when Chouji caught her. "Gotcha!" He grabbed her hands, and then forced her to the ground, putting a foot on her back and holding her arms. He then chuckled, and stepped down harder. Yumi winced in pain, but bit her tongue so that she wouldn't scream. It was bleeding, and she gaged at the taste of her blood. "Well, well, well... Now look who can't defend themselves." Yumi held onto the knife, holding on tightly as Chouji tried to grab it from her. "...oh, you want to keep that knife, don't you? Well, fine. I'll let you. Just 'cause your so pretty. ...and because you'll probably loose enough blood to knock yourself out." Yumi bit a little harder on her tongue. She had just got it opened when he caught her, and she was holding on tightly to the blade, causing a small pond of blood to come onto the ground.

"Good job, Chouji." Shino got up, and walked to him. "I'll take it from here." Chouji nodded, and released her, causing Yumi to fall to the ground flat on her face. "...hm. A switchblade? I didn't expect a younge lady like you to have something that dangerous on them." She slowly brought her arms to her side, and winced again at the pain from Chouji stepping on her back and pulling on her arms. "So, my beautiful, I have a...request for your Shikamaru. Think you can give it to him?" Yumi nodded, a few tears coming into her eyes. But she wouldn't let them fall. "...tell him, that next time, it'll be worse. A LOT worse. This was just a test-drive." He smiled slightly. "And...we're still not finished." Yumi screamed as Shino came closer to her. "Damnit, stop screaming!"

Yumi cried as she stummbled home. Luckily, they only wanted to hurt her, and didn't take any of her belongings. It was dark outside, and she barged into the door.

"SHIKA!" More tears came down her face as she fell onto the floor, and Shikamaru opened their door from the second floor. "Yumi, where have you been?!" He ran to her, and then gently turned her over. "...oh my god..." He whispered. Yumi had a black eye, and blood dripping down her mouth. She had scratches everywhere, and bruises. "Yumi, I'm...I'm..." He bit his lip as he looked at her, sorrow in his eyes. "I...." "I'm sorry!" Yumi whispered. "I...I tried to use the switchblade, but..." She held out her hand, and he examined it, gently taking it into his. She winced, but went on. "It didn't stop them. But I was able to make a deep scratch on Shino's face, and a long scar on Chouji's arm." Shikamaru looked at her. "Do you still have it?" "No." She whispered. "They took it, and they told me it was better if I didn't have it." He slowly picked her up, and shushed her as she tried to tell him there request. "S-Shika..." "No, Yumi. Rest." He rested her on the bed, and walked into their bathroom, turning the hot water on. "Shika...they-" "No, Yumi." He whispered as he walked over to her. "It's okay. Tell me when you have the strength." Yumi rested her head on the pillow, and slowly turned to her right. "...I'm so sorry that I let this happen to you..." He whispered. "I should have gone with you. Waited until you where finished with your training." "...oh, and Shika?" He looked at her. "What is it sweetheart?" "...I...I got mostly jeans. But I did get a couple of leather pants... I'm sorry." "It's fine." He whispered as he rubbed her cheek. "I don't care right now...it doesn't matter." Yumi gasped, and then bit her lip as tears fell down her cheeks. "Yumi, tell me where it hurts." Yumi pointed to her stomach. He looked at it, and noticed a few scratches and bruises. "Where else?" She put her forehead against his hand, and he could tell that she had a fever. "Okay, let's get you in the tub." He slowly picked her up, and turned off the water. "I'm just going to let you get undressed. Can you do that?" Yumi looked at him, and nodded. "Yeah. I can do that." He nodded, kissing her forehead as he walked out of the bathroom. "Call me in whenever your undressed and in the tub."

Yumi slowly got undressed and got in the hot water. First, she winced. Then she relaxed. "...Shika...I'm finished." He slowly opened the door, and walked back into the room. "Okay." He sat down by the bathtub. "Shika! Don't look at me naked!" He chuckled. "I can't see anything from the red in it." It was slightly red. Not a deep red, just a cloud of red that blocked your vision. "...so when do you think that I'll be able to go back to my training?" He shrugged, gently putting a hand on her forehead. "I don't know. And right now it doesn't matter." Yumi sighed. "I'm so tired, Shika....I think that I might passout in the tub." Shikamaru nodded. "Okay, here are your PJ's. Just come out onto the bed when your finished."

Yumi slowly got up out of the shower, and then put on her PJ's before walking into the room and plopping onto the bed. Shikamaru wrapped his arms around her, putting her face next to his. "What are we going tomorrow?" Yumi whispered as she slowly opened her eyes. "Your resting." He whispered, gently rubbing her back. "And I'm going to go talk to whoever hurt you..." "Chouji and Shino." She whispered, and she closed her eyes. "Shika, it's okay. I'm fine." "No, your not." He whispered, and kissed her lips. "I love you too much just to tell them that it's fine." She yawned, and put her face in his chest. "Your so warm..." She whispered. Shikamaru nodded, and then once she was asleep, he slowly walked out to the balcony, where Ciyasha was. Only, she wasn't smoking a ciggerette. Instead she had her face in her hands, and she was muttering something to herself.

"Ciya, what are you doing?" Ciyasha looked up at him, and sighed as she looked into the dark night. "I'm thinking about what to do." He raised an eyebrow, and got out two ciggerettes. "Here; It'll calm you down." She grabbed one, and then lit it with her lighter, and inhauled deeply, before exhauling a big cloud of smoke. "What are you so worried about?" She looked down, and then back up at him. "Sasuke...was talking about going away from the gang." Shikamaru sighed as he looked down, and inhauled some smoke of his own. "Well, this is troublesome..." He whispered. "He's our best fighter, and without him, we wouldn't be nearly as good." Ciyasha nodded as she looked back down from the balcony. "...he said that my say goes. Either he stays, or he goes." Shikamaru looked up at her. "Then tell him to stay."

"But what if I don't want to stay!" She asked as she looked at Shikamaru. "I...I love the gang life, but I've never had it to were I lived a normal life. I want to raise a family one day, Shikamaru. And the gang life is sure not a place to do it." Shikamaru looked out into the night, and then blew the rest of his ciggerette out. He smashed the stud against the ash tray, and then let it fall to the ground. "Well, that's your desision, then." He whispered. "I'll see ya later." She nodded, and continued looking out into the sky as he walked downstairs.

Naruto, Neji, and Kiba were all playing a cards game. "Damnit!" Kiba groaned as Naruto chuckled, and grabbed all of the chips. "I win, AGAIN! You guys suck!" He smiled, and when he went to pick up a chip that fell, a few cards fell out of his sleeves. He blushed, and smiled inocently as Kiba and Neji got up from the table. "WHY YOU LITTLE JACK ASS!" Naruto laughed as he ran from both of them, and up the stairs. "Knock it off!" Shikamaru yelled. "Don't be so loud this late at night. You know what'll happen if we get a noise complain from a building that's suppose to be shut down?" Neji stopped, and shortly later so did Kiba. Naruto chuckled, and they all walked downstairs. "Where's Sasuke?" Shikamaru asked. "Oh, THAT shitbag? He's out doin' something. He wouldn't tell us what." Shikamaru slowly nodded, and then looked around. "You guys should get to bed. Tomorrow we're going to Shino's and talking about this fight." Naruto nodded, and Kiba groaned. "Come on! Why don't you go over there?" "Because I might need backup if something goes wrong. One of you can stay here to keep the girl's safe if anything happens. And I choose Neji to do that." Neji nodded, and then waved to them as he walked upstairs. "Night. TenTen is in bed waiting for me." "Oh, you fucker! I know what your gonna do!" Neji chuckled. "Who wouldn't?" Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "Everyone should go to bed. Night." "Night, Shikamaru." Naruto and Kiba both ran to their rooms, and then Shikamaru walked up to his and lay in bed with Yumi, slowly falling asleep to the sound of her breathing.