The night felt especially long, after a while when Ino felt it was the right time to begin their night activities, she began to announce what she had in mind all along.
She had planned it along the way with Sakura, "Alright," She called breaking the utter silence.
"Let's play truth or dare!" At first no one spoke only cast irritated looks at her. Sasuke moved a little farther into his corner trying his best to ignore the commotion, Neji too turned away to look at the grass instead.
Shikamaru muttered under his breath, "How troublesome, this is really going to be lame." He as being the pure genius had figured things out by himself. Without hesitating, Ino continued, "Okay, Let's make a circle now, it would make it easier for everyone to see each other!"
No one moved, not even Naruto, he crossed his arms acting as if though he knew all this. "Remember what sensei told us, we do everything together." Sakura added furiously.
Most people felt unsure now, it was true, and Choji moved in first then followed by Kiba and Akamaru.
When the last person (Shikamaru) had moved in the circle appeared to be something like this: It began with Kiba (and Akamaru), Shino, then Lee, Shikamaru, Naruto, Choji, Tenten, Ino, Sakura, and at last Hinata.
Everyone was present except for the two boys Neji and Sasuke who remained put in their corners taking no notice of the others who had quickly moved in to join. Ever since they arrived the two had not spoken a word. Ino looking half flustered questioned them once more emphasizing the point that this was a mission, however her efforts at first seemed useless.
Neji sighed boringly, "I'll pass." While Sasuke plainly said, "No." Ino rolled her eyes unable to find words to convince them.
"Why?" they all said at once with great curiosity. Neji remained calm, and then explained. "I just don't have a reason to join you." Sasuke smirked lightly, while Neji glared back, "No, I believe Hyuga's not interested." He added grinning broadly as if he didn't know his name.
Neji ignoring everyone's surprised whispers said nothing more. Ino still looking frustrated proclaimed, "You don't have a choice, it was an order!" She stared deeply at the two.
Sasuke and Neji exchanged defiant looks, "Please Neji-san, we're a team." Tenten interrupted while his younger cousin added, "L-Let's all d-do our b-best to work t-together!"
Neji eventually looked away from all of them moved forward to sit between Kiba and Shino. Sasuke too stood up not wanting to seem weak against the Hyuuga genius, sat next to Naruto. When everyone was finally seated, Ino declared.
"We shall now determine who would go first, everyone will choose a number between one and one hundred, the one closest to my number begins." There was a slight pause then she began with Naruto,
He grinned happily, "Nine!" He yelled at the top of his lungs.
Looking not at all alarmed Shikamaru murmured coolly, "What a drag, if you could help keep the noise down that would be great." Choji nodded in agreement. Next was Sakura who said quietly: "twenty-seven."
Then Choji replied, "fifty-six." Next Neji who said, "Sixty-four."
Followed by his rival, Lee who muttered quietly under his breath, "Green." Everyone else glared at him, while most people laughed, Choji laughed the loudest.
"We asked for a number, Lee. Not a color!" Ino criticized. Lee's face automatically turned into a light shade of pink, "Er-right," he said embarrassed. "Three."
Tenten giggled then proclaimed, "Ninety-Nine." Hinata who said softly taking a quick glance at Naruto, "O-One." Shikamaru: eighty-two, Kiba: nine-teen, and finally Sasuke who muttered, "Seven."
Ino gave everyone a delightful look, and then declared, "Well, it's all settled then! Shino you may begin since your number was the closest; my number was seventy-one." She concluded wearing a bright smile gazing at Shino now.
You couldn't tell whether he was happy or angry under his dark, opaque glasses. All eyes turned on Shino who alleged calmly, "How do you play exactly?"
Ino's smile faded almost immediately, and her excitement seemed to evaporate quiet quickly. "Choose a person from this circle," She exclaimed arrogantly. Shino turned to Choji, "Him."
Ino nodded briskly, "Now ask truth or dare?" She instructed as he did what he was told, but as far as anyone could see, Shino wasn't enjoying this one bit. Ino continued instructing him until Choji eventually answered, "Dare!" he called crunching on a handful of chips.
Shikamaru looked deeply impressed, "You still have those?" he said beseechingly to Choji. "Of course, these are for emergency," Shino thought for perhaps a minute then proclaimed, "I dare you to eat this beetle."
Kiba sniggered while Akamaru let out a tiny yelp.
The silvery bug was just about the size of his entire thumb now crawling across Shino's fingers. Everyone moved in a little closer to watch, Choji on the other hand jabbed the creature into his mouth hungrily along with another handful of chips.
Sakura flounced back in alarm and almost fell just at the thought had made her dizzy. Lee was cheering now, "Good man!" he beamed doing his "good-guy" pose. Now it was Choji's turn to pick, "Great, now it's my turn," He commented exhilarated.
Shikamaru yawned wearily looking away at the grass; a few others lied a little further back lazily. "Ino," Choji bellowed in his usual voice, Ino jerked her head around a little surprised facing Choji. "Truth or dare?" he asked talking and eating at the same time, Ino tried his best to look confident, and at last she managed to utter meekly, "truth."
Then seeing his chance Choji reached into the bag and again swallowed another handful of chips, "Hum," he looked thoughtfully at the blonde haired kunoichi for a brief moment, he glanced around the circle as if searching for someone, then finally said quietly in Ino's ear,
"Who do you like?" No one seemed too surprised, only Sakura and Tenten leaned a little forward now, and she passed a fierce glance at Kiba who whispered to his neighbor, Lee.
She couldn't hear what they were saying, but by the looks of it was about her, Lee chuckled slyly when Kiba had finished. Immediately her face turned into a bright scarlet color, she scanned around the tent, trying to escape everyone's inquiring looks on her; she couldn't exactly resist it anymore, after all this time would she really tell everyone?
It seemed rather scary at first, she managed to gulp. Tenten giggled along with Sakura. Hinata was the only girl quiet at the moment and was grateful for that, timidly she encouraged.
"I-Ino, it's alright," She comforted soothingly, "W-We all k-know you."
She gave her a slight everything-will-be-okay smile, Ino looking down admitted apprehensively.
"S-Skamru," She murmured in a whisper even smaller than Hinata's that made it difficult to hear, then tried to hide her looking as small as possible. Choji was gave a cunning smile back at her, as if he had just read her mind, he stopped munching all of a sudden, paused to look at Ino (pretending to mystified) and then said anxiously,
"Sorry, What was that? I couldn't hear you." Sakura laughed even harder, Tenten covered her mouth to try and stop her giggles.
Hinata looked at Ino admiringly, as if waiting for her answer. Ino was now turning from pink to purple thinking hard to herself, Tenten, Sakura you're so going to pay for this!
Lee and Kiba again started their secretive murmurs, but for some reason they seemed to make it just loud enough for everyone to hear, not minding the enraged Ino. She shook her fist hard at Choji,
"You heard me, S-Shikamaru!" She looked away from Choji for a second, stopping to glance at Shikamaru, who to her surprise was looking back at her, quickly she turned her eyes away to the other Chuunins, gaping around at everyone except for Shikamaru.
He didn't seem at all shocked, but gave her a forgiving look which was all that she really needed at the moment.
They had been comrades for the longest time as ginins, Ino had despised him when they were young, but throughout their training she learned that he was in fact more of a genius than her. Shikamaru was more than a comrade to her; he was a friend, someone there just in case she needed help. Now that the horror was over, she gave a sigh of relief turning to Tenten; she was hoping to do something interesting.
"Tenten," She began quietly. "Truth or dare?" Tenten immediately halted her cheerful giggles, looking from Ino to Sakura unsure of her choice. She was eager to hear what Ino had in store for her.
"Um, d-dare," She decided rather awkwardly, she didn't feel like losing to Ino at all. Ino looked thoughtfully from Kiba to Sasuke, not meeting Tenten's firm gaze.
"I dare you to kiss Neji." Tenten looked so stunned that she just about fell over on Hinata, who looked more worried than excited.
Her jaws dropped open at the last two words, looking around them and realized that she was not the only one gasping now.
All the boys were deadpanned while the girls broke into laughter, Tenten felt like hitting Ino so badly, her eyes lifted to Neji who looked rather quiet as Lee patted his shoulder and he easily pushed it away. He was quiet as usual, but was also shocked though there was no expression or comment from him.
Sasuke grinned casting a glance at Neji, Tenten's face (like Ino's) flushed and could feel the burning flame inside her, "I-Ino I can't do that," She said uneasily, not at all like her normal self. She gave a slight shiver at the thought, and her eyes were overwhelming with embarrassment, all eyes were on her now. Ino crossed her arms looking particularly anticipated,
"And Why is that?" she rolled her eyeballs as Tenten felt her stomach do a backward summersault. I don't feel very good about this. A voice rang through her ears, she didn't have a very good reason, but this was better than nothing.
"B-Because, h-he is my team mate!" She said with her eyes shaking at each word, she gulped again. Ino looked fairly happy, now placing a hand on her waist, yawning,
"If you don't have a better reason, then you do it!" she said bossily, rolling her eyeballs for the third time in the night. "Anything else?" Tenten's lungs were burning now, she couldn't find a good response to retaliate, and her mouth made no effort to move. Looking defeated she glanced away from everyone.
Lee was now smirking from Tenten to Neji and back, "So the beautiful flower is scared to do so, what would Gai say when he hears about this! It was a dare so don't be afraid."
He said in a calm tone winking at Tenten, who ignored, echoing in his voice was the delighted barks from Akamaru.
Kiba joined along with Choji passing the word down, Tenten looked patient though she was quiet unhappy with the dare, Ino however seemed perfectly pleased.