Disclaimer: I definitely don't own Naruto, not even a poor cosplay costume. *sniff*

Thanks again to my faithful reviewers, wisdom-jewel, Luiz4200, and KantonKageX. Also, thank you my new reviewers, lilmissperfect14 and jenaca!

Warning: Mild language in this chapter.

Chapter 4: Maze (ShikaTema)

"You're such a troublesome woman." Shikamaru grumbled to Temari as he handed over 20 yen to the ticket lady to participate in the maze contest.

Temari simply smirked at him. "Afraid I'll beat you, Nara?" She teased, handing over 20 yen as well. "Don't want to be bested by a woman?"

Shikamaru scowled. "There you go, jumping to conclusions."

"You don't deny it, though." Temari grinned.

Shikamaru bristled. "I just wanted to get away from Naruto. He'll make me do troublesome things like going on those roller coasters." He snorted. "Whatever. I'm going to take a nap." And slouching, he walked away.

Temari smirked. What a fool. She could see right through his act. He wanted that massage chair badly, didn't he? It was unusual for him to lose his cool.

Shikamaru, though, had a plan.

Temari followed him as he walked around the huge maze. I wish I knew what he was thinking, she thought, frustrated. I don't know whether he really wants to take a nap or if he has some strategy in mind. But outwardly, she exuded confidence. Smirking, she yawned leisurely. Nothing could possibly go wrong with my plan.

Finally, Shikamaru seemed to be satisfied with walking and slouched down, preparing to snooze on a bench. To his dismay, Temari sat down right next to him, still keeping that confident smile on her face. Man, he just had to be landed with the worst of the women, didn't he? He decided to ignore her, until…

"HEY! What the hell do you think you're doing?" Temari's outraged voice literally cut into him.

Wincing, he sat upright, and his eyes opened wide.

The hugest guy he had ever seen had sat down next to Temari, and was stroking her hand with his. "Come on, babe, ditch ponytail over there and come with me…" he crooned, apparently thinking he had Temari wrapped around his finger. "I'll make sure you have the experience of your life here…" he leered.

Shikamaru glanced around. No one was around to see them. They were in the contest area, after all. Somehow, this fact gave him vindictive pleasure as he could beat up the guy…and tie him up and throw him unconscious into a nearby waste bin. Idiot! he thought to himself. Why the hell are you thinking about beating him up? Think up a strategy…quick.

Temari, however, looked bored. "Don't take me as one of your whores."

The man smirked, apparently unimpressed. "Sorry, honey, but you have no choice…"

Temari's lips quirked up. Standing up, she wrenched her hand out of the man's grasp, and took something out of her pocket.

Shikamaru blinked. It seemed to be a mini version of her fan.

"Kakudai suru!*" She said, smiling like a shark. The man blinked. The fan grew into Temari's normal fan. Shikamaru gulped. She'd brought her weapon along with her… "Now…" she purred, advancing on the man, who didn't seem to realize the danger he was in. "Sorry, honey, but you can't defeat me with a fan…" he said confidently. "You can't be more than a Genin…"

Temari smirked. "Kamaitachi no Jutsu!**" She yelled, and a huge blast of wind knocked the man off his feet. Several blades of wind seemed to cut him, revealing long gashes on his chest. "Why you…" he growled, all pretenses gone. "And I had hoped to do this without a fight too…Doton: Retsudo Tenshō!***"

Temari let out a yelp as the ground trembled and cracked, leaving her to fall and slip, or possibly be crushed by the rocks that were emerging.

"Shit!" Shikamaru said. He didn't expect to encounter another shinobi here… Quickly, he pulled Temari out and leaped backwards.

"Well, well, looks like we have a little masochist here…" the man said. "I'll deal with you first."

"Don't underestimate me!" Temari growled. "Kuchiyose: Kirikiri Mai!"****

Shikamaru watched in grudging admiration as her sickle weasel appeared and with a huge blade of wind, left deep gashes all over the man's body. "What a fool." Temari spat, kicking the man's unconscious body.

Shikamaru decided never, ever, to irk her. She was willing to unleash her weasel regardless of whether she was in an amusement park or not.

"Baka." Temari snorted. Then her eyes opened wide. "Hey, wait a sec…this is a missing-nin!"

"What?" Shikamaru quickly leapt forward. He cursed himself for not noticing before. It was a missing-nin, a C-rank.

"Don't worry, we can just hand him over the amusement park officials." Temari said casually.

"But—"

"Kami, Shikamaru, when did you grow to be such a worrywart? They'll take him back to Konoha for interrogation. We're not the only ninjas around." And without waiting for him, she hefted the man up, grunting. Shikamaru's eyeballs popped out. He really had to be careful. If she could lift up a 300+ pound guy, he didn't want to know what she could do to him. And the fact that she had nearly killed the man ruthlessly without trying to find out his real motive…

Once a woman feels harassed, there's no limit to what she can do, Shikamaru mused as he followed Temari.

Temari dumped the man at the ticket lady's feet moments later. The ticket lady's eyes popped out. "Charge him for sexual harassment." Temari said casually. "Also, he's a missing-nin, so be sure to take him back to Konoha with shinobi guards." And she sauntered off, leaving the ticket lady stunned. "Here, I'll help you," Shikamaru said guiltily. Together, they dragged the man to the park officials, who apologized profusely. Shikamaru didn't even get a chance to rest before he heard Temari's voice.

"SHIKAMARU!" She yelled. "Get your ass over here! The next round begins in 3 minutes!"

"Hai, hai…" he muttered as he made his way over to Temari. She was standing with two other people, who both seemed to be very athletic.

"Now, do we have everyone?" And old man had appeared in front of them. "Congratulations for entering our maze contest! This is our 34th round of the contest! There will be 100 rounds in total throughout the day. Now, your objective here is to reach the red button in the middle of the maze." Shikamaru snorted. He had surmised this already.

"You want to reach the red button as soon as possible. Our current record-holder is three minutes and twenty-three seconds! If you can beat that, then you may have a possibility of winning the massage chair!" He cleared his throat. "There are no rules to get to the center of the maze except that you are not allowed to touch other contestants or break down the maze walls. Rely on your creativity! One boy tried to tunnel to the center of the maze before…" Temari and Shikamaru smirked. This was going well for their plans. "So, we'll begin in two minutes! Our attendants over there will drive you four to different corners of the maze."

Shikamaru followed his attendant, and they drove for at least 500 meters before getting to a corner. Three minutes and twenty-three seconds. That's breakable. Temari, meanwhile, had no qualms about beating three minutes and twenty-three seconds.

"Ready?" The old man had a loudspeaker now. "Set, go!" Shikamaru took off. He knew the route to go from observing the outside of the maze. Enhance chakra! He thought, putting chakra to his feet which made him run three times as fast. Turn this corner, and that one…he surmised a minute had past already.

Temari, meanwhile, had taken out her fan and was shooting upwards, so she could see the whole maze. There! There was the center! She drifted toward it.

Shikamaru's head popped up as he saw the fan. What a cheater Temari was…but now, all he had to do was to follow her. He ran, keeping his eye on the fan ahead of him. The fan was very close to the ground now.

Temari leapt off her fan, and walked leisurely to the red button in the center. This was too easy—wait, why couldn't she move? Horrified, she managed to turn her head, and saw Shikamaru standing there, shadow linking him and her. "How dare you!" She hissed, trying to move forward. Shikamaru smirked. He ran a few steps to the right, and Temari awkwardly did the same. Now, he walked forward, and was level with the red button, while Temari was too far ahead. She snarled. He reached out his hand to press it—the timer read two minutes and eighteen seconds—and something thumped into him, knocking him aside.

"Umph!" he managed to cry out as he was tackled to the ground. Temari stood over him, smiling. "You're an idiot." She murmured. "You didn't even notice that your shadow couldn't reach me any longer when you were level with the button." Shikamaru grunted in pain. "Personally, I don't think you need that massage chair," Temari continued conversationally, as she continued sitting on him. "It just wipes all intelligent thought out of your mind. Instead…" Shikamaru stopped breathing. Damn it, why did she have to sit on top of him…in that position? He felt warmth pooling to his lower regions, and blushed furiously. "Hm, I think what you need instead is…" she whispered, her head bending down. "Is this…" And her lips captured his, and Shikamaru could only feel the taste of her lips and her thick hair, and how she was on top of him, and the wet grass pressing against his back— Her tongue pressed for entrance, and he gave it to her. But for a price, anyway. He used that moment to flip her over and she whined in protest as he gained dominance.

"When you two lovebirds are done making out…" an amused voice sounded from behind them. Temari pushed him off her, mortified. They both turned around, blushing furiously, to see one of the athletic men pushing the button casually. "Well, I'll be gone!" He said, winking at them, while signing his name as the winner.

Shikamaru looked forlornly at the now pressed button, and the timer that read "3 minute and 18 seconds". "Baka." Temari teased him. "If you want a chair that much, I'll get you one." Shikamaru's jaw dropped in surprise. "Really?" He asked. "Yep…" she said coyly. "But only for a price." Shikamaru grinned stupidly. He thought he rather liked this price. "Don't just stand there looking idiotic!" Temari scolded, and pushed him down again to continue where they left off.

Hehe, some ShikaTema action! And no, they did not progress on to…uh, yeah. Making out is the furthest I go. Review for more action!

* Enlarge

**Wind Scythe Jutsu *

**Earth Release: Tearing Earth Turning Palm

****Summoning Blade Dance