No time to be engaged...

"SHI-KUN!"

"Huh? Wha... GAH!"

The quiet calm of Konoha was shattered by a tumbling mass of limbs and squealing giggles, as Nara Shikamaru was tackled to the ground by some unseen force. His breath forced from him for a second time when his attacker thumped his shoulders to the ground leaving him pinned beneath their light weight. With the sun at their back, all he was able to make out at that moment was a dark silhouette reamed in brilliant white light.

On the other hand, Temari, Ino, and Chouji had a perfect view of the young woman who had utterly surprised them all. Seeing only the line of her back they all thought that she was several years younger then them, of course, how she had appeared seemed to assure that particular assumption. Her hair was pulled back into a long braid that she had wound about her neck. A silver spike encompassing the tip, bound by a single oval of onyx, lay like a focal point against her bared spine.

Gently nudging Chouji, Ino tilted to whisper about the new arrival's clothing, and how oddly they seemed to resemble the attire of an ANBU, though at the same time did not. He simply smirked, responding in a similar whisper that it was probably some little cousin that was playing dress up. With their thought-to-be-secret words shared, the trio simply stood there waiting to see how Shikamaru would react to his overly excited pouncer.

Meanwhile, Shikamaru was still trying to figure out just who had jumped on him but every time he would shift his head to try to see, the slender figure would adjust to keep her face in shadows. A bland expression hid his frustration before he shrugged, tucked his arms beneath his head and just closed his eyes. A childish tactic that worked wonderfully as he suddenly felt the weight rise off him. His eyes opening to a much clearer view of an offered hand encased in fingerless gloves.

"I should have known you would be no fun, Shi-kun." A slow smile slid over full lips that complimented the body of a young woman he could not quite place, as she helped pull him to his feet. "And that you wouldn't remember me."

Not so much nervous as a bit ashamed over not remembering her, he did not even notice the tell tale rub to his nape as she continued to hold his hand. The too intimate gesture adding a slight narrowing to Temari's eyes, pulling her to be the first to move forwards towards them. The motion dragging up Shika's eyes and forcing a barely noticeable blush to steal across his cheeks as the pair locked eyes. His reaction pulling the young woman's attentions right along with it the second he pulled his hand free of hers.

Temari's first impression had been some young girl, probably just in her teens, but what turned to face them was most definitely a woman, albeit a short one. Brilliant eyes, the color of polished onyx, watched curiously for a moment before a knowing light filtered into them and a tiny hand was extended in greeting.

"Hi, sorry to just drop in on you guys like that but I just can't help getting an edge up on Shi-kun." Taken back a bit Temari accepted her hand and was completely shocked how disarming her smile was. As a matter of fact each of them were a bit agape as she remained so sweet even though the hyper high pitched tone she'd greeted them with first had fallen to a low smokey timbre. "Seeing as I have been so thoroughly forgotten by my pineapple crowned acquaintance here, I guess I shou..."

"Shi-kun...? Pineapple crowned acquaintance...?" Turning back to Shika, who had yet to move from where he'd stood, each of them watched as he began to piece things together. A sudden panicked look crossing his features that startled all but one of them. He stuttered, stammered and pointed dead at her chest as he took a flight ready step backwards. "W-what the hell are you doing here!?"

"Well, now that you remember me, maybe you'd like to introduce me to your friends."

He could not. He was too busy trying to recompose himself, standing stick straight with a slight bead of sweat cresting his temple. A little worried, having never seen him react this way to anyone before, Temari shifted to his side and lightly let her hand brush against his as she turned to face the smiling pixie like woman. She had been about to ask her what was going on but Ino stepped in, rather physically, against Chouji's full-mouthed protests, and grabbed her shoulder. The forced turn made to look a lot more effective then it actually had been.

"Alright, just what's going on here? Who the hell are you and why is Shikamaru so scared of you?"

It was her smile that told Ino, she had just made a bad move. Where it had once been warm and friendly, the supple curve now held ice at its edges. "Didn't anyone ever teach you to respect your elders, Yamanaka Ino?"

"E-elders! You cannot be that much older then me if you are even the same age! Don't act so high and mighty!" She had yet to drop her grip from that smooth curve of shoulder and in barely the blink of an eye regretted ever even touching this woman. Her startled cry cut through the streets around them locking all of those peeking eyes right onto them as she found herself on her stomach being used as a seat. "HEY! GET OFF'A ME! WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE!"

A sharp pain slid along Ino's hand as her contorted wrist was pressed ever so slightly more into an odd angle, all the while, the young woman just kept smiling at the other three. It was rather impressive how she completely ignored the struggling figure that lay stretched out beneath her calm figure. "Have you found your voice yet, Shikamaru?"

He nodded, his once wide eyes returning to their annoyed glaze as he watched the scene played out before him, "Temari... Chouji... Ino... I'd like you to meet Ginkage... my Aunt ."

"Your Aunt?!" Temari didn't even realize she'd blurted it out as she stared dumbfounded at the way too young looking woman.

Chouji had actually dropped his bag of chips.

Ino had finally fallen silent, as she angled her head to look up at the still smiling woman.

"It's a pleasure to meet each of you. Now then..." releasing the pressure hold upon Ino, she also slipped out the two tiny pins she had punctured her with which kept her from fully rising. Not even a twinge was felt by the young blonde-haired woman. "Before I got all wound up in my little surprise, I had been sent to fetch you for my sister. Apparently, my impromptu visit has inspired her to cook a special dinner and she would like you home... Though I'm fairly certain that she wouldn't mind any of your friends joining us either."

He just sighed, his shoulders slumping with his level glare. "...I guess if they want to come... Temari is staying with us for a few days while she's in Konoha, so unfortunately she's stuck with this arrangement."

Ginkage was rather impressed by the young woman at her nephew's side, especially when she prodded his side after his comment. Shaking her head, the young Sunagakure shinobi, stepped forth to again offer her hand. "I apologize for Shikamaru, Ginkage-sama." His small snort of indifference earned him a narrowed glance before both women looked back to each other, "I'm pleased to meet you."

"I'm sure it will be a pleasure..."

And it was...

For all but Shikamaru it seemed.

Not only had his mother decided to make a special dinner for her sister's return to the town but also, she had thrown together a whole party in the expanse of a single afternoon. Anyone that knew Ginkage and many who did not had been invited. At some point, he had even realized that several of the Genin cells had shown up, including most of his 'friends'. Neji and Hinata had arrived in the shadow of the head of the Hyuga clan who startled several when he openly accepted Ginkage's enthusiastic embrace. Her almost childlike features seeming to forgive much of the action for him before she was hauled aside by Asuma and drowned in a rough bear hug. For the most part, he had to admit ignorance as to just how popular his Aunt really was.

A point that Temari emphasized, as she sat down next to him and leaned to ask, "she seems to know everyone. What exactly does she do?"

"Ginkage... is... She's an elite Jonin."

"Really? She looks so young..."

"She's older then she looks. She's my mom's youngest sister, the baby of the family, that's why my mom dotes on her so much." Continuing to watch, he could not help the cruel smirk that twisted his lips as Kiba slid over to flirt with his Aunt. He had no idea just what he was getting into. "She's about thirty five if I remember right."

"What? She doesn't look much older then us!"

"Nope, but don't tell her that I told you. My dad always says that I got my skill for strategy from my Aunt."

"She seems nice enough..." Looking to him, she gently settled her hand over his, hiding the gesture between their legs, "why did you seem so scared of her when you realized who she was?"

"I was just shocked. I haven't seen her in almost ten years and last time I did I..." He suddenly clamed up as a hand settled down over his shoulder forcing him to realize that he'd lost sight of his Aunt for a moment.

Temari, who was watching several of the Sensei's talking with Shika's mother and father had not even noticed the new arrival as she absently spoke, "you'd what?"

"He'd proposed to me..."