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The Longest Road
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Chapter 8. The fate
The desert air had never seemed to be so suffocating to Temari before. She walked and walked, her neck and arms tensed so strongly that the muscles formed a slight bulge at the nape of her neck. She expected to be attacked at any time, the wave of sand coming to suck the blood from her body, and crush her bones until there would be no trace that she had ever existed. Only, there was no attack, still. And she didn't even know if she was relieved, or even more terrified with it.
After she teleported away from Gaara, she waited for him to follow her. She didn't exactly know what he wanted from her but she felt it couldn't be anything good. She was frozen with horror at the thought she would be forced to fight him. However, she decided that she wouldn't beg if it would come to that.
As it turned out, she had never had to beg because Gaara didn't show up. Temari was sure he could easily trace her, and she wondered what was the reason for his delay. Did he suddenly decide he would temporarily leave her alone? After all, they were living together in the middle of nowhere, and he could finish what he had started whenever he wanted. Was it some kind of a sick game, maybe? What if he was trying to lull her into a false sense of security, and attack her when she wouldn't expect it? Or maybe - and it was the most terrifying prospect - he went back to the hut? Temari shuddered at the thought what she would find there once she returned, and she rushed back towards the hut instinctively. Soon, she came to a halt, and weighed her options. Even if Gaara decided to vent his anger on Kankurō, Temari knew that she wouldn't be able to stop him. Both of them couldn't fight Gaara equally even if they were perfectly fine - and Kankurō was nothing but fine at the moment. So, Temari could only hope it was not the case. It seemed that the best what she could do was to continue her current mission, and she did, although she didn't feel relieved as usual when the village's gates came to her sight. She knew that she was an unwelcome stranger there, the tool that had been chosen to be thrown away. There was no connection between the village and her anymore. But still, there were a few ninjas who greeted her on the streets, and a few Academy students who asked her questions if she would start teaching them again. Temari put out the burning pain in her chest with her will and smiled to the children, kindly explaining to them she wouldn't be able to instruct them, yet, because she had to go on a mission.
"I will ask grandfather to release you from a mission!" one of the boys promised. His grandfather was a councilman, and Temari was certain the old man wouldn't be quite happy if he found out that his grandson was eager to have her as his teacher.
"I'm sure that he will listen to you," she commented with a light sneer, and left the students behind, for the more difficult task needed her close attention.
She entered the Kazekage Tower, immediately stopped by ANBU guards. Calmly, she explained she had to see the Kazekage on an urgent matter. Soon, they escorted her to the office, where Baki was seated behind his desk.
"Kazekage-sama," she greeted him with a nod, watching him carefully. Of course, he didn't show any sign of surprise, just as if her sudden appearance was pretty much normal, and even expected. She noticed that he glanced at her bandaged chest. It must have looked weird but it was the only way she could make her torn shirt stick together.
"Temari," he replied gravely, steepling his fingers and touching his lips with his fingertips. "What can I do for you?"
The question astonished her and made her instantly wary because she would never expect it during such a conversation. It invited her to speak openly to him, to let out her concerns, and she was aware that she couldn't afford that.
"I came to report," she said cautiously. "Gaara has grown distinctly agitated lately."
The Kazekage's shoulders rose a bit with a sigh.
"He even went as far as to assault me," she continued reluctantly, momentarily peeking down to catch a glimpse of the torn fabric, sticking out from under the bandages.
Baki pursed his lips, and pulled himself to a standing position. He went past his desk, approaching her.
"And what do you think had caused this fit?" he inquired, looking down at her.
Temari hesitated.
"I'm..." She bit her lip for an instant. "I don't know," she corrected, because she didn't know, in fact. Of course, she had her suspicions, but she wasn't too eager to tell the Kazekage what she really thought on the matter.
Baki's eyes pierced through her.
"Did he say something?" he pressed.
"Yes, although it made no sense at all. He said that he was wondering where it was coming from, and he asked if it was me who was doing this to him... whatever it was," Temari said, and the Kazekage's eyes moved away from her face.
"Indeed," he murmured, more to himself than to her, and went away, towards his desk, where he took his seat again. "Obviously, he's growing more and more unstable. Am I correct?" he asked with a hard voice.
The decision has been made, Temari thought, as a lump grew in the back of her throat, forcing her to clear it a few times. What did he decide?
"He's been worse before," she said weakly as if trying to defend her youngest sibling.
"True but we had Yondaime Kazekage with us then," Baki reminded her. "Gaara's existence has become even greater threat to us... All of us," he emphasized, slanting a meaningful glance at Temari's chest.
"Is this why you tried to poison us?" she asked bluntly for she had enough of playing hide-and-seek. "You decided to get rid of us? All of us?" she repeated his own words in a mocking tone.
Baki's eyes bore into hers, and she was surprised to see sympathy in them.
"I was trying to spare you even worst fate," he admitted quietly. "I always seem to underestimate you, though. I'm sorry."
Temari tried to swallow but she couldn't. Her throat refused to work properly, and she licked her suddenly dry lips. She even forgot she was going to ask the Kazekage about the mission Jōseki had given to her. Her world was now reduced to those three mysterious and frightening words Baki had uttered.
Even worst fate.
And what could that be?
The end of chapter 8.
The next chapter: The decision
