Kankuro and Temari were looking after the bakery while Iruka and Deidara went to meet with their suppliers and Naruto and Gaara were out getting lunch. Temari was going on and on about the dance class she and Iruka had taught earlier in the morning for seniors. Kankuro smiled as she talked so animatedly about it. She wanted to rub her sore feet that had been stepped on so many times and she was sure that if the FBI dusted her butt, they would find at least five different sets of fingerprints on it from the senior gents as she led them through the dance steps.
Outside the shop, Shikamaru and Neji were standing with Ino as Shikamaru prepared her on what to say and do. "I'm not stupid, Shika. I'm just surprised that you're going to so much trouble for a girl," Ino huffed. She was getting miffed at Shikamaru for making them stand out with the sun beating down on them while they all looked stupid. "Lazy ass," she mumbled.
"You haven't seen her," Shikamaru replied as he ignored her assessment of his character.
Ino threw a withering look in his direction and wrenched the door open. She approached the counter smiling at the woman standing behind it. Temari waved and called out a greeting.
Ino stopped in front of the counter and gave the man glaring at her a radiant smile and got a scowl in return. She didn't let it bother her as she stuck out her hand and introduced herself. "My name's Yamanaka Ino. I'm a food critic and I would like to review your bakery if you don't mind." She continued to smile at the sour looking man. He had a ridiculous hat on his head so she was unable to tell what color it actually was. His eyes were so dark they were black. His face was ruggedly handsome. The thing that stood out the most was the extensive deep purple tattoo bands that crisscrossed his face. He was five feet eleven inches with heavy muscles all over his body. Her mouth practically watered as she looked at him.
"Looks like it's going okay," Shikamaru said as he looked at Temari. He noticed Neji's nod as he swiveled his head looking for the redhead.
Kankuro glared at the beautiful woman that stood in front of him. She was the kind of woman he knew he would never have because his looks scared most women away. Her long light blonde hair was pulled into a high professional ponytail. Her blue eyes reminded him of a clear summer day. Her delicate face was so beautiful he could gaze into it for the rest of his life. She looked about five feet six inches and her build was similar to Temari's. He put up his defenses and snarled, "Food critic. Tell me if you can, why would I put my nii-chan's baking up for someone to judge, huh?"
Ino was taken aback by the man's anger. "I meant no offence sir, I just want to help promote interest in your shop," she explained.
Kankuro snorted, "Tell me princess, just how many places that you've criticized," he sneered the word at her, "have gone out of business? Did you help them? Did you know taste can be affected by temperature, cold symptoms, hell even your period can affect the way food tastes. How many times have you unfairly criticized someone's creation because you weren't one hundred percent and you blamed it on them? What the hell gives you the right to criticize anything anyway?"
Ino backed slowly away from the counter as the woman stood gaping at the idiot in front of her. She could feel her face get hotter and redder as he continued to talk. Her fists balled at her sides and she closed her eyes. "Who do you think you are?" she asked, her voice trembling. "Who do you think you're talking to you ape?" she screamed at him.
"Ape, really that's the best you can come up with?" he snarled again.
"It fits. You're acting like an ape!" Ino said again.
"Come on, honey," Kankuro pointed to his face, "With so much to work with why hold back?"
"What does your face have to do with your boorish behavior? If you want an insult that includes your face, fine. You're a handsome ape!" she shouted causing Kankuro to look astonished for a minute before resuming his glare.
