Chapter 1

A girl of about seven smiles towards her father, saying, "Otosan, I was able to do it. I beat Tenten with the shuriken throw!"

Her father has two scars on his face— one across the right side of his forehead and the other on his right cheek. He also has a beard on his chin. These should have made him appear unkindly but, with his smile, he shows how proud he is of his daughter and he affectionately tries to ruffle her blonde hair. "Hai! Your mother and I knew you could do it, Temari."

Temari's hand sneaks to her hair. Her father's action has loosened her ponytail. She always makes sure that her hair is tied up neatly in a spiky ponytail just like her father's. Her smile suddenly dims when she remembers something. "Otosan?"

"Hmn?" Her father can sense her agitation.

"Why is my hair, blonde? But both yours and mom's hair is the darkest brown; it's almost like black," Temari asks.

"Did they tease you again at school Temari?" her father replies. Then he shouts for his wife, "Oi, Yoshino, your daughter is asking again why is her hair, blonde. What should I answer this time?" Shikaku would like to reassure his daughter that her hair color doesn't matter. Look at Sakura's hair—it's pink but does it bother her? No. But he had already told her that and she responded that in Sakura's family some other person has pink hair as well.

"Ok fine. Treat my question as a joke. How about this? Why can't I do any Shadow jutsu?" Temari glares at her father.

"Temari, let's wait for your mother. She'll answer that one too," Shikaku grins.

"Gah! Otosan, I'm serious," Temari sighs in exasperation. She frowns at her father. "I've been practising like you told me but I can't do anything with my shadow!"

"Tch. Maybe you're trying too hard. When I was your age I just liked to nap." Shikaku pats his daughter on the back.

"I tried that too!" Temari insists.

"Hmn, maybe you were just pretending to nap. You must empty your thoughts and just relax then, when you're not stressed out, it will come to you," Shikaku advises.

"What kind of strategy is that?" Temari complains. "Where is Okasan anyway? I'm hungry."

—o0o—

"What the—" The boy with untied, overly long, brownish black hair is sleeping on the sand being sheltered by a big boulder of rock when suddenly he is awakened by the creaking sound made by a puppet. "Kankuro!"

The boy then hears soft laughter coming from behind the boulder. He mumbles, "Tch, troublesome," before speaking nonchalantly his threat. "If I catch you, I will tear your puppet, Karasu, into pieces."

The laughter subsides and the creaking sound also disappears. The boy closes his eyes again when suddenly something jumps down towards him from the boulder. The boy is quick enough to prevent the puppet from descending on him by rolling to his side, away from the boulder.

The boy immediately stands up, makes a succession of quick hand seals then utilizes the boulder's shadow in capturing the puppet Karasu. The shadow elongates then divides into six separate hands. It is fast enough that Karasu has a hard time dodging the six hands.

Immobilized by the shadow's several hands, the puppet tries to free itself from Shikamaru's control. Then, after a few minutes, one of its appendages successfully frees itself and throws several kunai towards Shikamaru's direction all at once. Shikamaru crouches to the left then right. When one kunai almost whizzes through next to his left eye, he is unable to sustain his hold on the puppet anymore.

The puppet breaks free and goes behind the boulder. Shikamaru then argues calmly, "Kankuro, I'm not playing games with you. Asks Gaara if you want to spar with someone."

"Big bro, don't spout nonsense! Do you want me killed?" A voice sniggers. Then the creaking sounds from the puppet Karasu resume and get stronger.

Shikamaru sighs. He makes several hand seals then he walks towards the other side of the boulder. "You are now caught Kankuro."

"Am not," Kankuro springs from inside Kuroari, another puppet with a barrel-like body that is actually used to trap opponents. The Kankuro caught by the shadow disappears in a puff of smoke. The real Kankuro is controlling Karasu's appendages, making them extend out, attempting to seize Shikamaru. Shikamaru is able to jump from one place to another trying to elude the puppet extensions until he finally notices he is now far away from the boulder's shadow.

"Tch, who the hell taught you to use your brain when you're fighting?" Shikamaru complains. They are in the desert where only sand can be seen in every direction. Without the boulder's shadow, his little body alone cannot provide sufficient shadow to stretch and hold on properly to Karasu.

"Your fault, big bro," Kankuro gleefully mocks Shikamaru.

Shikamaru is wearing a green robe on top of his black shirt. He could remove his robe and make it into a parachute to create more shadow but it's too troublesome. "So you win. Now get out of here. I'm gonna take a nap." Shikamaru raises his hands in surrender but his face shows not hurt pride, but boredom.

"You're no fun!" It's Kankuro's turn to complain.

Shikamaru just shrugs and goes back to his usual sleeping spot. "If you really want to get stronger, fight Gaara."

Kankuro glares at his brother. "Yeah right! I probably would need your help if I'm fool enough to challenge him."

Shikamaru shrugs again. "Don't include me in your funeral," he then lies down and closes his eyes.

Kankuro's glares intensify and then his last words before he turns his back are, "You're useless!"

—o0o—

A/N: Onegai do tell if it's going ok.