A/N: Yeah, I really need to be more descriptive, huh? This one's kind of boring, sorry, but I decided I need to delay them a bit. I think it's kind of lame.

It turned out that the team didn't have to wait long at all. The next day, a messenger bird – From Sai, so it was made out of ink—came to Naruto, and it carried details. It stated that the ANBU team that had been deployed for tracking had found several people with Kekkei Genkais. They would use Yamato's Wood Release jutsus to make a shelter for keeping the ones recovered. He mentioned that there weren't as many Byakugans and Mind Transfers as before, and no Sharingans so far, and the same for the Kagemane jutsus. He said that no enemies had been discovered or had any traces of whatever had left the Found Ones, as they were coming to be called in the ninja system. A few teams for recovery would be appreciated, he said. Nothing else was said or distributed.

It was decided that the major families with the Kekkei Genkais found in the people would have one representative go to get the people to bring them back and find out how they were stolen, because that's what must have happened. So in the end, it was Hyuuga Neji's, Yamanaka Ino's, and Nara Shikamaru's teams who would go to get them, and Shikamaru's would also get the Sharingans, as unlikely as they would be. This was really an A-rank mission, provided nothing went wrong. They were lucky to get this mission, really, considering that it consisting of two genins and one in between, in the process of switching to chuunin. The Nara heir's team had been deemed skilled enough, which was good. It meant that he had a really talented team, given the members.

Kushina, Sakate, and Asumite were waiting for him at the east gate of Konohagakure, Kushina's blue hair waving back and forth as she shifted her weight anxiously from foot to foot, Sakate pulling his gloves on, a grimace on his pale face, Asumite simply waiting, leaning on the gate, her hands shoved in her pockets, the Twelve Guardian Shinobi sash tied around her waist gently moving as she tapped her finger to some unheard tune. Her red eyes were closed, and she had put on some eyeliner and lipstick to enhance her genjutsu, like her mother. Shikamaru smiled a tiny smile, to himself. "Do I owe you guys some barbeque again?"

Sakate looked up, startled. "I didn't hear you coming, sensei! You really are like a shadow today!" He looked around, bit his lip and shrugged.

Kushina stopped abruptly. "Are we counting the other teams? Are we even meeting them here? Because Uncle Neji usually isn't late." She tilted her head, remarkably like a dog's. "Are we just early?"

Asumite kept her eyes closed, but said, "Yeah, Kushina, we're early. That's as likely sensei saying no to a nap or a game of shogi. They aren't meeting us here, they're meeting us there."

Shikamaru paused, surprised. "You're perceptive today. And I resent that, I know when to say no to a nap!" But then he shrugged. I guess I should have told them to travel with us. "Neji and Ino's teams aren't traveling with us, you're right. And so I guess that it's whoever gets there first! Are you ready?"

Sakate bit his lip. "I've been thinking about this. It's not just a little mission, is it? I mean, we're recovering mystery persons with kekkei genkai, which Mom told me is technique only a specific clan can have, like Neji-sensei and Kushina have the Byakugan and your Kagemane jutsus, and nobody knows who they are. Nobody's missing anyone from a clan, we don't know how they have these jutsus, who's doing it, or if they're dangerous. Shouldn't this be and A- or S- rank?" As he was talking, he was looking away, as if he didn't want to question, but, the Nara had to admit, it was smart of him to ask.

He walked over to the bright young man, put his hand on the child's head, and looked at him. "Yes, Sakate. It's an A-class mission, but you know something?"

The shy dark pink haired boy looked up. "What?"

"You three are the most skilled genin I know, and you know, I admire you guys for it. I know you can deal with this. You could take on Naruto and Gaara, the Kazekage. Granted, you'd still lose against them, but you'd last a good long time. So far, no bandits or enemies at all have been found, not even a trace, and none have been proven dangerous. And if worse comes to worst, I'll put my neck in the guillotine to save yours. Got it? You'll be fine. Think of it as a recovery mission with more at stake, as a recovery with your families on the line. Not just finding a cat with barbeque at the end. This is life or death. But you'll be fine— You have the Will of Fire." When Shikamaru finished, Sakate had determination in his eyes. He tensed, ready to go.

"Thank you, sensei. That makes me feel so much better about this."

"That better not be sarcasm, Sakate." Shikamaru removed his hand from the boy's head and straightened up. "Are you girls ready, too, or do you need a pep talk as well?"

Kushina nodded. "Ready!" She looked at Asumite expectantly.

Asumite was still leaning against the gate. She had been listening intently, hearing the emotion in Shikamaru's voice. She slowly straightened up. Then suddenly, she snapped open her eyes. They were that incredible scarlet, and Shikamaru was surprised—they had maroon mixed in now. Her eyes were a whirlpool of scarlet and dark maroon, and it was hypnotizing. He couldn't break away from her gaze. Is this a genjutsu? Her eyes…What's happening, Asuma? He thought, panicked. He couldn't move. Tsukiyomi? Will I be stuck here for days, and then I'll come back, and everything will be the same as it was, only a few moments later? Help me, Asuma! The world was falling away. He felt himself go limp. He fell to his knees. "What's…going…on?" he choked out. "Asumite?" He didn't have the energy to break the jutsu. Not enough chakra. He heard shouting, but couldn't hang on. The world went black.

Shikamaru shot up in bed, panting and gasping for air. He flopped down again. Oh my god, that was a dream? He squeezed his eyes shut. It had felt so real. But just to make sure, he opened one eye. He looked around for a moment like that, and then both eyes were open, glued to the wall. The color of the walls was the precise color of Asumite's eyes—scarlet and dark maroon. He decided then and there that he was going to repaint the walls as soon as possible. He shuddered. Was that a dream? Is this a genjutsu? He thought for a moment, then looked to see if he was wearing his Shinobi uniform. Surely she wouldn't know what his pajamas looked like. He rather hoped that it had just been a nightmare, and he had just woken up. He took a deep breath. Shinobi uniform. She'd caught him in a genjutsu. "Asumite, you're really troublesome. He put his hands together in the Tiger Seal, and then dispelled the genjutsu—or so he thought. For a split second. Then he saw that he was at the Nara Deer Ranch. "I definitely wasn't here." Again, he dispelled the genjutsu.

Suddenly, he was on his knees, coughing. Someone had their hand on his back and his shoulder. "Shikamaru! Are you alright? I was coming with my team, and suddenly you went down! What happened to you?" It was Ino, then, with her team. They must have been just coming to leave. Leave it to Ino to attempt to meet up with him by 'accident'.

"How long has it been?" he managed to get out between coughs. He looked up, looking for Asumite. She was gone, with Kushina and Sakate. "Where's my team?"

Ino sounded confused. "I guess they aren't here yet, Shika, because nobody was here when you went down. And it's been about ten minutes, I guess."

Shikamaru looked at her, shocked. "No! They were there! They had to have been! We were about to leave, and then Asumite…" He broke off into another coughing fit. Why am I coughing? Was I under a genjutsu the whole time?

"Shikamaru…Do you have any chakra?"

Damn it. "I don't think so, Ino. I think I used all of what little I had breaking genjutsus."

"Genjutsus? From who?"

"I think…Asumite."

"Why did she put you under a genjutsu? Was there something wrong?" Ino asked. "What kind of genjutsu was it?"

"Ino, you know, you can be worse than your dad, more persistent when it comes to interrogation." Shikamaru growled.

"Well, I could just use my Mind Possession jutsu to find out, if you'd prefer it."

"You'd actually probably have more luck, actually." He coughed again. "What's up with this coughing? Did you see, Ino?" Her teammates behind her were silent through the whole time, or else they just weren't there. "Where's your team?"

"Oh, I sent them to go get someone to help. You went down so fast, I thought something was really wrong. Shikamaru, you can't go on a mission for a while. You had a needle in the back of your neck, you're out of chakra, and you can't stop coughing. Your mission'll have to be postponed for at least a week. My orders as a medic-nin." Ino said.

"Fine with me."

Ino pulled Shikamaru up, put his arm around her shoulder, and let him lean on her as she walked him to the hospital. He didn't really remember much of it. He only knew that she asked about the genjutsus, about what happened and where they were. He knew he replied, but not what. After he was checked in and in his hospital room, where they were inspecting the needle—turns out Ino had kept it for that purpose- that was embedded in the back of his neck and making up some medicine for one thing or another, he asked Ino to tell his team that their mission was postponed. He told her to have a team mate with her, however, in case she tried to cast another genjutsu. She promised, and then some sedative was pumped through his system through some I.V. that he hadn't noticed stuck in his arm. As things went fuzzy, he was dimly aware of three small figures yelling and trying to get to him but being blocked by medical ninjas. Eventually he fell asleep. Oh, thank god… Sleep. Maybe I'll actually stay asleep and not be in a genjutsu this time.

A.N: I told you it's boring! Please review and give constructive critism, dattebayo!

~Tsubaki