Chapter Ten

Mission Suspension

The Anbu released Zemaria but told her to watch herself. Two months she wasn't allowed to be on missions. What was she to do? Missions were her income. She went home and Shikamaru was there this time. He was sitting in the living area playing a game of Shogi by himself. Zemaria was about to walk over to him until he threw the game board.

"Shikkie-Chan..." she said softly.

He finally noticed her presence, "Zem... I didn't know you came in."

She stuttered a bit, "Are- are you- okay?"

"Don't worry about me. I'm- fine," he said.

"Shikamaru, if you need to let your emotions how still... you know I'm here," she walked over to him and knelt down, "Please. Everyone could use a shoulder to cry on when they're upset and need to grieve."

He let his whole body relax. Collapsing, he fell forward his head rested on Zemaria's shoulder. She wrapped one arm around his body and the other around the back of his head. He let himself cry. Zemaria gently touched her lips and side of her face against the front of his head. They stayed like that the rest of the night.

Eventually they fell asleep in their position. They didn't even hear the doorbell the next morning. Shikaku entered figuring they were both sound asleep in the bedroom but instead he found them together in the living area. He didn't know if he should wake them or not. Tsunade wanted to give Shikamaru a new mission.

"Shikamaru," he walked over to them, "Shikamaru, wake up."

"Mm..." Shikamaru barely stirred.

"Shikamaru! Wake up!" Shikaku yelled.

He slowly woke up, "Dad?"

Shikamaru carefully maneuvered himself around so he wouldn't wake Zemaria up. He scooped her up and started up the steps. He asked his dad to wait until he came back down. He just wanted to get Zemaria up to the bedroom. Shikaku nodded and waited downstairs.

"Shikamaru, Lady Hokage has a new mission for you," Shikaku informed him once he came back down.

"Already? That was fast. I only got back from my mission just yesterday," he said.

"Well, she has another one for you and Asuma's service will be tomorrow," Shikaku informed.

When Asuma whispered into Shikamaru's ear, he had told him to keep an eye on Kurenai and take care of her and their daughter. Shikamaru cleaned himself up and left. Later that day, Zemaria woke up. She got dressed and decided to work on her training since she wasn't going to be on missions for a couple of months. Kakashi found her at the training ground where team seven was first brought together.

"Lady Zemaria, I didn't expect you to be here," he said.

"Kakashi-Sensei... I just thought I'd do a little solo training," she told him

He could tell she was a little upset, "You just don't like being suspended from missions."

She shook her head, "Nope. I don't. Two years it's been... since Sasuke left. It's not like I every really cared about him but he was still a Leaf Shinobi and a comrade."

"Of the four of you, you and Sasuke could always make the most progress. But Naruto I'm sure could surpass both of you," he said intimidating her.

"How do you figure that Sensei?" She asked narrowing her eyes.

"Well, Naruto does possess a great amount of power not only because of the nine-tailed fox but also because of who his father was," he told her.

Zemaria thought a second, "Oh? Let me guess, his father was the Fourth Hokage?"

Kakashi said, "You're smart just like Sakura and Sasuke. Yes, the Fourth Hokage was Naruto's father. There aren't too many people that know that. The Third Hokage made a decree that the knowledge of Naruto's father would be kept secret. He feared that Naruto would be even further isolated because of who he was related to."

"So by birth right, Naruto would be next in line to being Hokage after Mother. Although, I should be the one next in line as the First Hokage's Great Granddaughter and the daughter of the Fifth Hokage," she said to him.

"I have doubts that Lady Hokage would entrust the Village to you with everything that has happened within the last two years," he said.

She groaned and bared her teeth. Doing the hand signs she surprised Kakashi by activated Chidori. Being that she was incapable of using wind style Jutsu, it was only natural that she would figure out how to use Chidori. He stood there in shock. He never taught her that Jutsu.

"You aren't seriously going to do this are you?" He asked and activated his Chidori.

"Let's train Sensei!" She attacked him at full force.

Kakashi's reflexes caused his Chidori and Zemaria's to collide with each other. They both flew in opposite directions. Zemaria slammed against a tree. Kakashi was able to avoid hitting a tree. Zemaria unsteadily stood herself up. She stared at Kakashi with pure evil in her eyes. In reality, she was mad about being put on a mission suspension. Her aim wasn't to kill Kakashi. It was just her way of needing to let off a little steam.

"I know you don't actually want to kill me. So what's your goal with this?" He asked.

"Forbidden Art: Fires of Death," she said as flames appeared around Kakashi.

They started whipping around. Kakashi realized that she had said 'forbidden art' which meant she was using a forbidden Jutsu. Her Jutsu though, was not only forbidden it was also a Genjutsu. It was a powerful technique she had developed during her time in the Akatsuki. She used it during her missions with them and took down plenty of people with it.

"This is- Genjutsu," he observed and pushed up his headband showing his Sharingan.

"Are you going to get serious now Sensei?" She asked.

"It's not really like you're giving me much of a choice," he said.

As their battle took place, Neji happened by. Kakashi was actually getting his butt kicked by Zemaria. Maybe it was because she wasn't just the daughter of Tsunade but also of Orochimaru; Orochimaru whom made it a habit of developing new Jutsu most of which were forbidden. She really was starting to take after her father. Neji observed them for a few minutes and realized that she was more than just sparring with Kakashi. He decided the right thing to do was to put a stop to the battle.

"Gentle Fist!" He yelled as he managed to slam his palm against her chest.

She immediately coughed up a bit of blood, "N- Neji?"

She dropped to the ground barely breathing. Kakashi was still able to stand. Zemaria tried to keep her eyes open. Kakashi slowly made his way over to Neji.

"Lady Zemaria..." he said, "Neji, why did you interfere?"

Kakashi was badly injured. Zemaria had managed to drag her claws across his chest injecting her poison in him. Had she really been trying to kill him this whole time? Neji looked at him concerned.

"From where I was standing, she appeared to be determined on killing you. She's not dead though. I merely rendered her useless," he said.

She coughed a bit and struggled to her feet. Managing to stand, she moved back and forth trying to keep her balance. With a shaky hand, she removed a syringe from her pouch. Neji soon realized that she had poisoned Kakashi.

"Sensei... here," she placed the syringe in his hand, "Take this. It will disperse the poison in your body."

She dropped to her knees again before falling unconscious. Neji told him to take it otherwise he'd be dead in ten minutes and not even Lady Tsunade could come up with an antidote. Kakashi quickly injected himself with the antidote. Shizune found them and rushed over to Zemaria.

"Lady Zemaria!" She yelled and kneeled beside her.

Shizune gently rolled her on her back. Her mouth dripped with blood. Her once shallow breathing was now still. Shizune checked for a pulse and then laid her head on her chest for a heartbeat. There was nothing.

"She's not breathing! There's no pulse!" She yelled concerned now.

"Lady Zemaria!" A Medical Ninja yelled and rushed to her aid.

"Impossible! I- I didn't hit her that hard with Gentle Fist. She shouldn't be dead..." Neji stood back in shock.

Shizune and the medical squad went to work to start her heart again. Her heart still would not beat. Out of nowhere, Zemaria starts ascending up from the ground just as Orochimaru was able to do. Everyone stares in shocked.

"Wait, does that mean the one dead is a clone?" Kakashi asked.

"No. You forget who my father is. I suppose it's like father like daughter. As my Father had done in the past, I had ultimately surpassed his attempt to create an immortality Jutsu. The only difference is that I don't need to sacrifice another's body," she explained.

Zemaria was still injured regardless of using the Immortality Jutsu to avoid the worst. Tsunade appeared behind Zemaria, her hands on her hips and a not so pleasant expression on her face. She was far from happy about Zemaria's behavior.

Shizune gasped lightly, "Lady Tsunade."

Zemaria sighed not turning to face her Mother, "Before you lecture me Mother, I had no intensions of killing my Sensei. If Neji hadn't interfered, it would have been a lot easier and quicker to disperse the poison without wasting one of my pre-made antidotes in my syringes. I'd have just coated a kunai with the antidote and made a new cut on him to cure it."

"Zemaria, what has happened to you all of a sudden?" Tsunade asked her.

"Gee Mother, I don't know. Maybe the fact that no matter how many times I've tried to explain what happened during my mission you refuse to listen!" She yelled at her and attacked her own Mother.

Tsunade dodged her attacks, "Are you seriously trying to take me on?"

Zemaria could only use Taijutsu thanks to Neji and his gentle fist. If she had anticipated his interference she'd have pulled the same move as she did during the Chuunin exam and used a barrier of her poison to protect her chakra points. But this time she had been taken off guard by his attack. Most of her Chakra points had been closed off.

Zemaria didn't have too much time before she'd really lose consciousness. She kept attacking with as much strength and force as possible using only Taijutsu. Since Tsunade was her mother, she possessed the same type of monstrous strength as her. They were in such a heated battle that the whole terrain started changing.

"Lady Zemaria! You have to stop this right now!" Shizune yelled.

"Striking Shadow Snake!" Anko had gotten word about Zemaria and hurried over.

Striking Shadow Snake was originally Orochimaru's move. Zemaria and Anko learned it from him. The snakes wrapped around Zemaria's body restraining her. She struggled to break free. Because of her injury from Neji, she was a lot easier to take down.

Tsunade panted lightly, "I never would have thought I'd have to fight my own daughter. This time you weren't forced to fight me because of Orochimaru. What were you thinking?" She walked over to her.

Zemaria groaned in anger and frustration, "Just lift the damn suspension! How do you expect me to let off steam when you keep me from going on missions like this? I've told you countless times that Asuma's death wasn't my fault completely!"

"I'm fully aware of the whole story. Iruka took the liberty of having me listen to him tell me. My decision however, stands strong. It may appear to you that I'm punishing you. However, I have other reasons for this decision. All you have to do is behave yourself," she told her.

"Other reasons? Like what?" Zemaria asked pouting a bit.

Tsunade crossed her arms, "My reasons are my own. Now, because of your rash actions towards Kakashi and myself... you are to now be punished. For such punishment you will carry out any and all tasks I give to you. Shizune will oversee your tasks to make sure you're carrying them out."

"But I-," she started.

"No buts! This is not an option!" She yelled at her.

Zemaria gritted her teeth and narrowed her eyes. She then had a sudden pain in her chest where Neji struck her before she used the Immortality Jutsu. She winced at the pain and fell to her knees. Shizune quickly went to her aid and started to heal her. Tsunade instructed Anko to tie Zemaria's hands behind her just in case she lost her cool again.

It was a shame Shikamaru was out of the Village on a mission and would be for a few days. If there was one thing Zemaria hated the most it was being her Mother's lackey and maid. Tsunade told Anko to take Zemaria to the Hokage building. She nodded and took her. Kakashi went to the hospital to get his injuries taken care of and Neji was told to go with Tsunade.

"Neji, Shizune will be in charge or Zemaria during her punishment however, I'd like you to keep an eye on her as well. Just don't overdo it," she told him.

"Yes Lady Hokage," he answered.

Zemaria left with Shizune and Neji. For the next several days, Zemaria was ordered to carry out tasks that normally would be the job of Shizune. Today's task was document retrieval. She was ordered to move documents from the received box. There were a lot of documents this time since Tsunade always lacked being able to take care of her important documents on time.

"Damn mother... she needs to learn to keep up with her stupid documents..." Zemaria muttered as she went in the direction of Tsunade's office.

The stack of documents blocked her vision it was so tall in her arms. She stumbled down the hall muttering under her breath cursing her situation. As she approached her mother's office, she attempted to knock on the door.

"Enter," Tsunade said behind her desk.

The door slowly opened. Zemaria teetered her way inside before losing her balance. The stack tilted forward and it and Zemaria fell to the floor. "I have those documents for you mother," she said.

"Now you have to organize them because you dropped the entire stack," she told her.

"Oh for the love of-," Zemaria stopped mid-sentence after seeing Neji's obscenely scary looking expression.

She quickly re-stacked all of the documents before putting them all in order. If her mother wasn't scary enough, Neji's glare was like looking into the face of death itself. Tsunade gave Zemaria new instructions to separate the stack of documents according to importance. Those that were top priority would be first on her desk. As the level of importance went down, the stacks ended up on the floor.

It was hours before Zemaria's day was finished. Tsunade went through the stacks document by document. With Zemaria's help she had finally widdled the stacks down. Zemaria slunk away to her room and flopped down on the bed. She was exhausted from the day and wished her mother would lift the suspension on her.