Question: Chocolate or Vanilla

No One POV:

The birds was chirping as it was quiet. The clouds was floating in the air as it was giving a calming vibe. Well, that was until a grunt came as someone crashed to the ground.

The person is Shikamaru as he grunts from being pushed off the ram and landed to the ground hard. The audience was silent as they couldn't believe what they just saw. Even Shikamaru's sensei groan as he scratch his head.

Shikamaru look done with life as he stare at the person responsible for this. Naruto just smile at him as he had no regret for what he did. 'Damn that Naruto.' Shikamaru thought.

The crowd was booing as they were throwing things off of the arena. Banana peels, water bottles, basically your average snacks that you will bring to watch a match. Shikamaru didn't care, even if one trash hit his nose.

'They don't care about this match. I'm just the warm up for the main event. All they care about is watching Sasuke or better yet Y/n. Listen to them, the jerks.' Shikamaru thought as he could hear the people saying some negative words towards him.

'Well, if that's the way they're going to be, maybe I won't give them a match at all. Why knock myself out for them?' Shikamaru declared.

Meanwhile Temari looked annoyed as he tilted his head. He slam his fan to the ground a little. "What is it?" Temari wanting to know. "You planning on giving up, too?" He ask.

'And to top it off, my opponent's that guy, who flirted with Y/n during his match with that Tenten girl.' Shikamaru ignored Temari.

The crowd was still booing as they were talking bad about Shikamaru. Some where to say that 'He suck' or 'Be a man and fight'. The crowd was getting impatient as Asuma sweat dropped.

'Well, he never was very driven, but this?' Asuma question in his mind. "Come on, come on. Get up and fight!" Naruto finally spoke. "Get it together, Shikamaru! You're gonna get going sometime this year?" Naruto ask.

Shikamaru stayed silent. However Temari was done. "Well, if you won't move, I will." Temari charge at Shikamaru. "Hey, I didn't start the match yet." Genma stated.

"I forgot. This guy's a spunky one." Shikamaru stated as he reached towards his pocket. "I hate spunky." Shikamaru pull out his kunai.

Temari yell as he slam his fan at Shikamaru. However when the dust cleared off, Shikamaru was gone. "Huh?" Temari was confuse as he look up a little. Shikamaru was sitting on the kunai that's stabbing the wall.

"It really doesn't make a whole lot of difference to me whether I ever become a Chunin or not, but I guess maybe I shouldn't let myself get beaten by someone like you." Temari grunts at Shikamaru's words. "So, let's do it." Temaris' eyes sharpen.

Temari open his fan. "Aagh!" He swing his fan as it creates a strong wind. Naruto gasps as he remember about Temari's abilities. But to Naruto and Temari's surprise, Shikamaru was gone as he was no longer standing on his kunai.

Temari look behind as he has a good guess where Shikamaru is. 'He's quick enough when it comes to running away.' Temari smirk in thought. Behind a tree in a shadow area was Shikamaru. 

'I know it's not very manly to clobber a guy, but whoever said I was manly?' Shikamaru thought as Temari turned around and look at where Shikamaru is located.  'Nice try, but I know what the game is.' Temari analyze as he remember Shikamaru's jutsu.

"Shadow Possession Jutsu!"

'He's trying to lure me to the shadow of that tree.' Temari stated his mind, 'I'm not falling for that.'

"Go for it, Shikamaru. Use an awesome technique on him, and take that bastard down!" Ino cheered. "Yo, this seat taken?" Someone ask as Ino turned around. It was Choji as he is eating a bag of chips. "I thought you were in the hospital. Your stomach's okay now?" Ino questioned. "Mm-hm." Choji answered.

He brought a bag out. Inside the bag holds multiple kinds of chips. He sat down next to Ino as he watches the match. "What's up? I thought Y/n's match was supposed to be next." Choji ask. 

"Unh! Shh." Ino quickly turn to shush Choji. Choji was confuse until the two male turn and see Sakura looking gloomy. Ino quickly turn as he was smiling. "Oh, I'm sure Y/n's fine. He'll be here any minute now." Ino said.

'Man, you'd think her puppy died or something.' Ino said in thought. Choji was confuse as seeing Sakura's expression confused him. 'I thought Sakura doesn't like Y/n? Why is she acting like this?' 

Choji shook his head as he focus on the match. "Hm, never expected to see Shikamaru in the final." Choji stated. "What do you mean? Come on." Ino turned as he was confuse, "Shikamaru may not have as much fighting spirit as some other people. And okay, his techniques it pretty lousy, but he's strong at strategy." Ino stated as he turn to where Shikamaru is hiding. "So strong, in fact, that without him, we might not have gotten through the preliminary round."

"Huh? Maybe." Choji acknowledge as he finishes his bag. "What's more, you should have seen how he threw himself into the arena." Ino said as Choji popped his chip bag. 

"I'm telling you, Choji, he seems unusually aggressive. I think he's going to show us his passionate side today." Ino think with glee. "Yeah, go Shikamaru!" Ino cheered.

'Ah, sometimes I wish I was a cloud just floating along, going wherever the breeze takes me. That's my style.'

Shikamaru look so down as he was watching the clouds floating in the air. 'I'm just not into putting effort in this stuff. The only reason I became a Ninja was so I could do whatever I wanted.' Shikamaru stated his reason. 'Geez, who knew it would be so much work?' Shikamaru sighs.

Shikamaru look as he see the hole where Temari hit with his fan. Mean while Naruto had his eyes close as he was yelling. "Get your butt in gear! Let's go, Shikamaru!" Naruto yells.

Shikamaru grunts as he stands up. 'Oh well, heh, a guy's gotta do what a guy's gotta do.' Shikamaru smirk.

'What's he thinking behind that stupid grin? Is he mocking me?' Temari thought.

"Ninja Art, Wind Scythe Jutsu!" Temari wave his fan as he releases powerful wind. "Aah." Shikamaru grunt as he tries to hold himself. The wind was cutting the trees as it was also blowing towards the audience.

'I remember, this is how he beat me in our fights.' Tenten remember as she was guarding herself from the wind. 'Nothing I threw at him could get past it.'

The dust was in the air as Temari was looking for Shikamaru. However he caught something as he gasps. A shadow was charging at Temari. Temari back flips away but he notice that the shadow was getting closer. He takes a few steps back as the shadow couldn't go any further.

When the shadow retreated Temari made a line to where the shadow reached. "Now I get it." Temari figure it out. The dust cleared as Shikamaru was in his Shadow Possession Jutsu stance.

"Almost got me. Aren't you clever with that Shadow Possession Jutsu of yours, you can manipulate any shadow you're in." Temari taunted. "The Wall Shadow for instance. But there's a limit, isn't there? No matter how thin you stretch it, it will only reached so far. Am I right?" Shikamaru was breathing hard as he gave a nervous smile, "Heh. You got me."

'And now, I know just where that limit is. Even using the Wall Shadow, his Jutsu can only reach to here.' Temari stood as he put his fan down. '15 meters, 32 centimeters. That's the range of his attack. If I can just stay outside this line, he can't touch me.'

'He measured that guys range. This plays right to his strength. He's better at long range attack anyway. Heh. This match is as good as over.' Kankuro thought.

Shikamaru was looking up as he was watching the clouds. He look down as he put his hands in a certain way. Temari was on alert. Asuma and Kurenai caught Shikamaru's stance. "What's that? A hand sign?" Kurenai thought.

Asuma smirk as he recognizes it. "No, he's not making a hand sign. It's something more like a habit." Asuma answered. "A habit?" Kurenai question in confusion. "That kid, he's like an old man. He likes to take things slowly. Heh. I mean, really slowly. That's why he's so good at a games like, Go and Shogi. He's always challenging me to a match."

Flashback Jutsu:

It was at a different location where Shikamaru and Asuma is sitting down. In between them is a wooden board as there are multiple chips layed down.

"Whenever he gets stuck in a move, he does that thing with his hands.

Shikamaru put his hands together as it looks like a hand sign. Asuma look up as he sees the stance.

Present Time Jutsu:

"What does it mean?" Kurenai ask. "He's working on a strategy." Asuma answer.

Flash Back Jutsu:

Shikamaru open his eyes as it was like he caught something. "Huh?" Asuma ask as he sees Shikamaru making a move. Shikamaru move a piece in a place as it made Asuma cross his arms.

"All the times we've played, I've never beaten him."

Present Time Jutsu:

"Well, that's fine, but this is a real fight, not some game of Shogi." Kurenai recalled. "Strategy on a game board is no difference from strategy on the field of battle, and all great generals know that." Asuma explain. "Shikamaru has got the mind of a great general, just you watch."

"You could have fooled me. Don't forget, I saw the test scores when we grouped the Genin. His were no better than Naruto's, maybe worse." Kurenai said as she remember the first day.

"He says the act of putting pencil to paper is a drag. It's too much work for him." Asuma recalled. "He'd rather take a nap than a written exam." Asuma said. "He would, huh?" Kurenai said.

Flash Back Jutsu:

It was at the academy was Asuma was writing something on the board. Multiple kids was taking notes as one had their head down and taking a nap. Asuma stopped his writing as he threw his chalk at them.

The kids turn and see that it was Shikamaru, groaning as he rub his head. Asuma groans as he was upset by how Shikamaru was.

"I didn't say he wasn't lazy. But he was so good, at strategy games, I had him take an IQ test."

Next there was some wooden puzzle blocks. Asuma tries to explain the meaning of it as Shikamaru in response. He slowly pick up the pieces as he was putting them together.

Present Time Jutsu:

"Well, what happened?" Kurenai ask. "Hmm, as I suspected, his score was almost off the charts, beyond genius. The kid has an IQ of over 200." Asuma answer.

"T--?" Kurenai's eyes widen by his response. "Two hundred?" Kurenai gasps as she turn to watch the match.

Shikamaru open his eyes as Asuma knows that look. 'He's done thinking. Now it begins.' Asuma said in thought.

"So you have some fighting spirit after all." Temari acknowledge. He open his fan as he swing his fan around. Shikamaru grunts as he pull a kunai out of his pocket. He stood and run as Temari grunts, "No use in hiding."

The wind was blowing hard as it as damaging the trees. Shikamaru is grunting as the wind was blowing that he takes his jacket off.

"Are you sure he's even got a strategy?" Kurenai ask as she was lost. "I hope so." Asuma raised an eyebrow seeing the match so far.

Meanwhile Choji finish four bags of chips as he goes to eat another one. He hums happy as he eats. "Look at that. He can't get anywhere near him." Ino said. "Go, Shikamaru, do something!"

"Don't waste your breath. He'll give up soon." Choji said while he eats. "This is way too much work for him."

"What are you talking about? Now way he's going to give up." Ino shakes his head. However he was slowly having second thoughts. "At least, I don't think he's going to give up."

Shikamaru was breathing heavy. Temari was panting as he was looking around. "You can't hide forever. Come out, coward!" Temari yell. He wave his fan as another powerful wind charge.

The wind created cloud of dust. Suddenly a kunai was charge out of the dust as Temari gasps. He move to the side as he caught another kunai charging at him. He open his fan as he blocks it.

Temari look and caught a shadow charging at him. 'Huh. Forget it. As long as I stay on this side of the line, he can't touch me.' Temari eyes suddenly widen.

"What the--," Temari jumped back, the shadow crossed the line, "It's still coming." Temari was able to make more distance as the shadow barely touch him.

Temari look up as he glare at Shikamaru. "You're pretty quick on your toes." Shikamaru complimented. "Now I see what you've been up to. You weren't just hiding, you were killing time, waiting for the son to get lower, and the shadow of that wall get longer." Temari analyze.

Shikamaru smirk in response. "The longer the shadows, the farther your range is, right?" Temari question.

"Damn, he almost got him." Ino complained. "How is Shikamaru going to use his shadow anyway? I mean, what's he going to do? He's in the shadow of the arena already." Choji question.

"Unbelievable. You really don't know anything about Shikamaru's capable of, do you?" Ino ask. "He can use anything. He can even make shadows within shadows."

"Shadows within shadows?" Choji repeated.

'All right. If I just calculate the height of the sun and measuring the distance he's gained from his previous attack, I can still keep out of range. No problem.' Temari thought as he smirk.

Gaara was looking at the match as he look up a little. "Temari, over your head!" Kankuro yell. Temari gasps as he look up. "Hmm." Shino murmured. 

'What is that?' Temari was confuse. Suddenly another shadow came in reach as Temari look down. "Oh, no!" Temari grunts as he jumps back quickly.

In the air was a kunai, however it was floating. A jacket is tied to the kunai as it was making another shadow. "I got you now." Shikamaru declare.

'He made a parachute out of his jacket to create an extra shadow. Clever move.' Temari acknowledge. 'Now I not only have to worry about the shadows on the ground, I have to keep an eye on this thing above my head, and it extends his range indefinitely.'

'Huh, guess I've been underestimating this slacker clown. His Shadow Possession Jutsu it a lot more dangerous than I thought.'

Temari grunts as he jumps away from Shikamaru's jutsu. The jacket parachute fell to the ground as the shadow is coming back.

Temari stood up as he smirk. "He learns fast. I'll give him that." Shikamaru complimented.

"Good, but not good enough." Kurenai said. Asuma grunts as he now know who Temari is. "He thinks in the same way Shikamaru does. He's a strategist, too." Asuma said.

Temari look at as he was measuring the sun. 'The longer this match takes, the lower the sun gets. The longer the shadows, the farther his range.' Temari close his eyes. 

'Time to finish this.' Temari stated. 'If I create a diversion with the Clone Jutsu--" Temari was imagining the strategy as he open his eyes. 'Yeah, that'll work.'

Temari suddenly gasps. "What?!" Temari couldn't move his body as his eyes widen. Every gasps as they notice Temari's body. 'My body, it's frozen.' Temari panic.

"It took a while, but my Shadow Possession finally worked."

"No." Temari said as he realize why he can't move. "How the hell did he do that?" Kankuro ask. "Amazing." Kurenai can only say. "He was thinking three moves ahead all along."

"As I said, that's Shikamaru's strength." Asuma repeated. 

'Impossible. How could he have caught me with his shadow? He couldn't reach this far.' Temari question as he was lost. Shikamaru smirk, "Look behind you. I'll let you."

Shikamaru look behind as Temari follow. There was a hole behind Temari as that was where the shadow was at. 'Out of the hole. How?' Temari ask in thought.

"Don't you recognize that hole? It's where Naruto popped out of the ground and knocked Neji for a loop." It was like flashback as where Naruto came from the ground. Delivering a punch that made him the winner. 

"The hole in front of you is where he went into the ground. The two are connected." Shikamaru explain as it click to Temari. "Now I see." Temari said, "I never thought of the shadows underground."

"That was your mistake." Shikamaru scolded. Asuma grunts as he smile. "Like I said, he's thinking three moves a head."

'First, he gets him to retreat behind the line he thinks is the limit of his shadow attack. Then just when he's starting to feel safe, he surprises him by extending his range, forcing him to fall back again. All the time making him think it's his idea, when actually he's maneuvering him closer and closer to that hole behind him. And then, he's caught. Heh. Now that's how you play the game.'

'I don't believe it. The whole time I thought I was keeping out of range of his Shadow Jutsu when I was a really walking right into it.' Temari's eyes widen as he was shock. 'Amazing. This slacker clown outsmarted me.'

"The next move is checkmate." Asuma stated. Shikamaru started to walk as Temari was forced to do the same. Temari was grunting as he was walking closer and closer. 'He's got control of my body. I'm done for.'

Kankuro groans as he doesn't know what will happen next. "Look at everybody. A minute ago they were throwing things at him." One of the shinobi looked around. "Well, who would have ever thought the guy'd turn out to be a ringer." The other shinobi answered.

"Yeah, he did it! He pulled off an upset." Naruto cheer. "You got him! Way to go!" Ino cheer. "Checkmate." Asuma smiles.

Shikamaru raises his hand, making Temari to do the same. Temari is trying to brace himself for whatever might happen to him. Shikamaru opens his eyes.

"The hell with it. I give up."

"Huh?" Temari's eyes widen. "Huh?" Naruto's mouth was open. "Huh?" Ino's facial expression was like a ghost.

"He what?!"

The crowd made an uproar as they boo and complained.

"You've gotta be kidding me."

"Loser."

"See, I told you he'd give up." Choji smiled as he finish his chips. "Looks like I know Shikamaru a little bit better than you do, huh?" Choji teased as he open another bag.

"What? What did you say?" Temari ask as he was lost and conflicted. Genma was silent as he sweat drop.

"I used up all of my chakra on that Shadow Possession Jutsu. I'm good for another 10 seconds, and that's it." Shikamaru explained. "Bummer, and here I'd already planned out the next 200 moves in my head. But my chakra's running low."

Temari was gasping as he was processing what he just heard. "Anyway, if I was doing this thing, it would just mean more work." Shikamaru complain. 'This guy is something else.' Genma smirk.

"The winner is Temari."

_________________________________

This entire chapter, Shikamaru. Is. A. Mood!