Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. If I did, I would have all of the Naruto calendars! But I don't!

A/N: Another short 3 pages…I think I'm making too many chapters with this…

Published December 1, 2006

Chapter 18 - Newfound Plan

"Hey, Ino." Temari said over the phone.

"Hey, Temari." Ino said back.

"Did you think of anything yet?" Temari asked, getting right to the point.

"Nope. You didn't think of anything either?" Ino assumed.

"Nope. This is sad…I know we're smarter than this…" Temari commented.

"Yeah, but what are we going to do? We can't really do anything…" Ino said.

"I know…but we are going to have to talk to Shikamaru about this sometime." Temari said.

"Hopefully we can think of something that will benefit the both of us or else…" Ino started.

"…we'll have to compete for him…" Temari finished for Ino. "I wouldn't mind some competition but that's not the way to go."

"Yeah, same here. Why can't Shikamaru just be a man and talk to us?" Ino asked.

"Exactly what I was thinking. Shikamaru's a big crybaby and coward. You can't expect him to do anything as troublesome as talking to a girl." Temari chuckled a little.

Ino giggled slightly as well. "At least we're friends now…that's the one thing this big problem has benefited us from." Ino happily said.

"Yeah, we're good friends now. And we have Shikamaru to thank for that…we have to solve everything for ourselves, by ourselves. Just like a mission." Temari compared.

"Yeah." Ino agreed.

"Speaking of missions, I haven't been on a mission for a really long time…" Temari brought up.

"Yeah, me neither.' Ino said.

"I usually get my missions on the weekdays and I haven't gotten any at all!" Temari added.

"Oh…I usually get missions on weekends. I haven't gotten any this weekend at all either. Weird huh?" Ino said.

"Well, come to think of it, Tsunade did see us fighting and had to know something about Shikamaru's little dilemma with us." Temari pointed out.

"True. About that, Gomen (sorry). I didn't mean what I said back there. I was frustrated and heated up." Ino apologized.

"Me too; I was a jerk. I didn't imply all of those awful things I said. Gomen (sorry), Ino." Temari also apologized.

There was a loud 'boom' sound coming from Temari's end of the phone.

"Kankuro! What the hell did you do this time?!" Temari yelled.

"It wasn't me!" You could hear softly from Ino's phone.

"Looks like I've got to go, Ino. Well, I guess if and when we think of something to do about Shikamaru, we'll call each other, okay?" Temari suggested.

"Yeah, sure." Ino agreed.

"Ja ne (goodbye), Ino!" Temari said.

"Ja ne (goodbye), Temari!" Ino said.

Temari clicked the 'off' button on her phone.

Ino hung up her phone.

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Beep, beep, beep "Oh come on…where are you, Temari…?" Ino asked to herself on her phone. "Answer your phone already!"

"Moshi, moshi." A voice answered.

"Kankuro! Get Temari on the phone right now!" Ino ordered, shouting, to Kankuro.

"Okay, you don't have to scream in my ear." Kankuro said, putting his finger in his ear.

"Get her now!" Ino continued to shout.

"Okay, okay!" Kankuro said. "Temari!" Kankuro called out.

Temari came running down the stairs. "What is it now, Kankuro?" Temari sighed.

"Ino's on the phone. She yells too much." Kankuro said with is finger still in his ear.

"I heard that!" Kankuro and Temari heard Ino say from the phone even though it was many feet away from the two.

Temari grabbed the phone away from Kankuro. "Go away, Kankuro." Temari gestured a 'shoo' motion with her hand.

Kankuro pouted as he left the room with his arms crossed.

"Yeah, Ino?" Temari said.

"I think I know what we can do about Shikamaru!" Ino cheered.

"Really? That's great!" Temari smiled, though Ino couldn't tell.

"Yeah, it's logical, beneficial for the both of us, and it's simple." Ino added.

"Great!" Temari commented.

"Okay, first..." Ino continued to talk to Temari.

The two had a very long conversation. They were on the phone for three hours. It would have been much easier to just meet somewhere, but they've grown too close to Shikamaru and gained his laziness.

"Great! So, we'll start tomorrow." Temari declared.

"Yeah!" Ino nodded even though she knew Temari couldn't see it.

"See you tomorrow, Ino!" Temari said.

"Ja ne (goodbye)." Ino said. Ino hung up her phone.

Temari clicked the phone's 'off' button.

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A/N: Yeah…