Chapter Forty-Three
Early bars of sunlight caused Jiraiya to wake from his slumber. As he opened his eyes against the light, he couldn't help but wonder if he was dreaming or if he'd died and gone to the Pure Land. He lay on his left side, and Tsunade's heavenly body curled up in his arms with her back to him. The night before had been beyond satisfying – an odd concept considering what they had and had not done. They had come back to the room, and they had taken a long soak together in the jacuzzi style hot tub in the room. They had ordered room service, and they had massaged one another thoroughly on the bed. Much to his surprise, they hadn't made love. As he massaged her, Tsunade fell asleep, and he felt no need to push the issue as he curled up with her on the luxurious king-sized bed. In some ways, last night had been more intimate than anything he'd ever experienced before.
Laying here with her in the morning glow, Jiraiya reflected on his life and the odd turn of events this past year had thrown at him. He had spent his entire adult life wandering the world, searching for adventure, and never keeping his head in one bed more than a few days – almost never returning to the same lover more than once. Jiraiya thought back to his son Minato and the conversation they'd had after his boy's first time with Kushina. That had been the beginning of the end of Minato the Traveling Sage's Apprentice. While happy for Minato, he had quietly been jealous of his son and his luck with love – Jiraiya could remember neither the name nor face of his first lover. Unlike present company, they had all passed like a pleasant dream with the rising sun.
Tsunade began stirring. Jiraiya let his mind wander to the future as her silk-smooth body stretched along him. He knew they were too old to start a family. Really, does that even matter? You have Minato and Kushina, and you have Hinata and Naruto for that matter –kids and grandkids. In another few years they will make you a great grandpa. So what if you can't have kids of your own? Jiraiya had spent most of the last year in the village, the longest he'd stayed in any one place in almost thirty years because he now suddenly had family to spend time with. The adventure of the open road called to him, but its song was more and more distance and a little more indistinct with each passing day. The woman in his arms was calling to him, begging him to stop chasing a daydream, that she had many adventures to share and memories left to make here in this village. He could settle down, he could give up the life he had, and she could be the reason why. "Good morning, perv," she shifted to look at him over her shoulder.
"Good morning, darling," he grinned as he held her tight, "Sleep well?"
Tsunade hugged her body into his, spooning against him firmly. "I could get awfully spoiled by having you around like this," she teased with a wink.
"I've longed to hear that for as long as I can remember," he sighed longingly, "What changed in us, Tsunade? Had you told me this would have happened a year ago, I wouldn't have believed you!"
"I blame Kushina," she smiled, "and her kid."
"How so?" he laughed.
She sighed, resting her head on the pillow they shared, "I don't know; there was something in seeing her going on after so much pain – giving birth, nearly dying twice, and still not being ready to sit in a chair all day watching soap operas and drinking cheap booze."
"Sounds like a terrible way to live," he squeezed her even closer, massaging her hand. Jiraiya reminded himself he wasn't the only one with bad memories after the Second War ended. The Legendary Sannin were all wounded, as were many others, with wounds that were felt but not seen.
"It was," she sighed deeper, looking down, "and I realized after giving up on being a shinobi, after turning my back on medicine, that was what I was becoming – then Minato came desperately to my door one evening – begging me to save his wife." She rolled to face him, "As terrible as it sounds, those bad years for Kushina were some of the most important years of my life." Tears began dripping from her eyes, "I was important again; I had a purpose. And then…" she paused, forming her wry grin, "…then you came storming back into my life," Tsunade lovingly traced her fingers along his face as her coppery eyes stared into his soul, "and this time, you didn't leave."
"I should have come back sooner," Jiraiya felt his heart racing, "I would have, had Minato not sugar-coated how bad things were initially."
"He never liked to worry you, Jiraiya," her hand continued to caress his face, "Now, let's stop worrying about the past and worry about the future, Jiraiya." She brought herself body to body with him and locked lips with him. Their hands began massaging and exploring one another while their lips were careful not to separate longer than a second. Tsunade's legs began to intertwine with his. I like where this is going!
The trilling of the telephone cut the hot, passionate, air between them. "Should we answer?" Tsunade panted breathlessly.
"Who knows were here?" Jiraiya groaned, knowing it had to be something official. If it's official, then it's damn important, too!"
"Shit!" Tsunade huffed as she untangled herself from him and the blankets, completely not self-conscious in her natural state as she sat up, reached for the phone, and picked up the receiver. "Hello?" she spoke; Jiraiya could tell she was doing her best to hide what they had been doing. As he admired her bare body in the morning light, Jiraiya's mischievous side won out, and he gently traced his fingers along Tsunade's spine as she spoke. Tsunade shivered at his naughty gesture, turning with the phone in her hand. Her face was cherry pink with equal parts mischief and annoyance. "Yes, Lord Fourth, he's right here!" she said putting the receiver in Jiraiya's face, sticking her tongue out at him as she stood up off the bed. Jiraiya noted a slight extra flare in her hips as she walked away. Tease!
"Good morning, son," he called into the phone, trying not to sound too content.
"Jiraiya," Minato's voice sounded tense, "I'm not calling at a bad time, am I?"
"No worse than usual," he sprawled out on the luxurious bed, still feeling the warm spot where Tsunade had been, "What's up?"
"Oorochimaru is here," Minato said gravely.
The mention of his old friend turned missing-nin caused Jiraiya's heart to jump. "Where is he?" Jiraiya asked, hoping against hope that he didn't sound as alarmed as he felt.
"He's somewhere in the forest; several genin teams have been killed off - their faces stolen."
"Naruto?" Jiraiya gasped. I'll never forgive myself if something happens to him or Hinata!
"They're both safe, for now," Minato answered, not sounding entirely certain
"I can be there in thirty minutes," he sat up and threw off the blanket.
"Actually, I want you to stay put where you are at," Minato commanded.
"Son?" Jiraiya asked, confused. What the hell, kiddo? One of the most powerful shinobi in the world is offing the genin teams and you don't want us there?!
"He'd be expecting you and Tsunade to come if his presence was known; that might be his plan – trying to lure you both out. Do not come to the Forest unless I show up specifically to order it.
"But…"
Minato didn't let Jiraiya have an inch, "Continue your current assignment, let me know if there are any odd patterns in gambling. And…" Minato trailed off.
"And?"
"If possible, make them lose their shirts," the line disconnected.
"Is everything all right?" Tsunade asked. She was still not dressed.
Jiraiya paused as he admired her nude form in all its glory. Nearly forty years of fantasizing did you no justice, milady. "It is now," he grinned.
She crossed her arms and grinned as she leaned against the doorframe to the restroom, "My idiot," she sighed, playfully shaking her head, "what am I going to do with you?"
"Fire up the shower and I'll explain everything while we get cleaned up," he felt his lip curl at the suggestion. Much to his surprise, she smiled back over her shoulder as she turned the corner. In a moment the water was running, and he was explaining everything as he washed her hair.
Joints creaked and popped in Shikamaru's neck and back as he woke from a fitful sleep. It was 0600 on a day three of the exam. What a pain! I'd kill for just five minutes in my own bed at home, just five stinking minutes! Being that the sleeping bag on the concrete floor offered no comfort, he got up and stretched. Soon, his mind began assessing the situation around him as if he hadn't shut it off the night before.
All of Team Seven was exhausted and asleep. Sakura had spent most of the night monitoring Naruto and Hinata, and Naruto had spent most of the night assisting Hinata in breathing. Thankfully, she was now breathing on her own. Given enough time, the team would recover with rest. His own team and Team Guy hadn't acquired any major injuries thus far and had largely been on sentry duty. They now had two heaven and one earth scrolls. Aside from some distant contact via Neji's Byakugan, no other team had gotten near them.
Shikamaru scowled at the last thought. There are thirty-nine other teams out there; one of them should have come at least close by now. The woods might be huge, but that still makes no sense – by now someone should have run across this position! Shikamaru couldn't help but wonder if someone was trying to keep them isolated intentionally.
His scowl only deepened as his eyes turned to Gaara, Kankuro, and Temari. He didn't know what to make of them, friend or foe. Ino was now looking over Gaara; Shikamaru didn't need to be a doctor to know the boy was still damn sick. His skin and eyes were an ugly jaundice yellow, and his stomach was distended on the right side, probably swelling of the liver. In his present state he wasn't a threat, but Shikamaru knew the boy was a weapon of mass destruction. The gears in Shikamaru's head pounded but refused to make sense of anything. After what Naruto and the others mentioned of Oorochimaru, nothing added up. It doesn't make sense why would he murder Gaara?
He stole a glance at Temari, who was talking to Ino. Temari was as unlovely as a katana blade. Nevertheless, her teal eyes, her blonde hair, and her sass were oddly endearing. What a pain; either I'm going to kill her or I'm beginning to like her! Something clicked in his head. Kill her? He thought back to what Temari said when she first came to the bunker, "One of the snakes was trying to bite me, would have gotten me if my little brother hadn't jumped in the way!"
"No way," he whispered to himself. "Could that be it?" After everything that happened, it made sense. He nodded to himself as everything lined up perfectly. Ino nodded to Temari before walking up to him, "Shikamaru."
"How is he, Ino?"
"My assessment is not changed from Sakura's; the longer we delay, the more serious it gets."
"What about Teams Seven and Eight?"
His teammate sighed. "To put it bluntly, if we count everyone in the bunker: three of us can't walk, one has a questionable limp for running, one is blind, and all of us are in desperate need of a shower and some real sleep! Shikamaru, we can't afford to stay out here another day; people are going to start dying at this rate."
"Agreed," he nodded, "We have one last shot at a scroll, and we leave immediately for the central temple. If we fail to secure the scroll on the first attempt," he paused to look at Gaara and then to Teams Seven and Eight, "then we signal for emergency extraction and cut our lossess."
"You realize, that means none of us move on to part three," she reminded him.
"Who cares?" he chided, "There is an S-ranked criminal stalking us. Is it really worth dying over some chance to compete for a chance to be promoted to chunin?" He shrugged.
"I guess not," she nodded, "So, who is going?"
"You're not," he said flatly, "you're the only effective medic for the moment."
"Boss, what about me?" Choji approached.
"We need someone to protect the wounded, and you'd be better suited for a fortress defense, Choji. I need someone in the field who can move fast. No offense, This is hit and run, not a stealth mission."
"None taken," he nodded.
"What about us?" Tenten said as she approached. "Team Ten is still intact."
"I'm going," a familiar sassy voice called over his shoulder. Temari had already gathered her fan and was preparing to leave.
"Temari!" Kankaro gasped.
"It's my fault Gaara is here; it's the least I can do, besides," she turned to face Shikamaru, "I'm sick of sitting around here playing nursemaid; I'm a fighter!"
Either I'm going to kill her, or I'm beginning to like her! There was the real chance that she was planning on taking him out into the woods and killing him, but he didn't think so. She could have killed us at will several times. Why would she tell me everything about her village's just to turn around and kill me afterwards? "Fine," he locked eyes with her, "then I'm going with you! We'll move faster if it's just the two of us."
"Dude," Choji whispered, oblivious to the fact that even a whisper could be heard clearly in the bunker, "is there something going on between them?"
"Choji!" Shikamaru glared at his friend, who was still with a hand trying to shield his whisper to Neji.
"Yeah, boss?" Choji laughed nervously.
"SHUT UP!" he boomed. To some mild amusement, all of Team Seven remained asleep even though his outburst. Shikamaru turned back to Temari, "You ready to go?"
"And how, let's go!" she smirked.
As they exited the bunker, the air was humid but thankfully not hot; he was already feeling disgusting after two days of sweating without a shower or change of clothing. He still wore his black coverall with a green utility vest that he'd worn since day one. Temari's costume consisted of a pale-purple blouse, a white flak-vest, and dark-purple shorts better-suited for the beach than the forest. Dude, stop staring and get to work!
Shikamaru pulled out his team's silk map and eyeballed it carefully, "All right Temari, here's the deal: it's 0620 right now. We have until 1200 to find an earth scroll or we bug out without exception." He pointed to the swamp "Do we go for the one that was supposedly here," and he pointed to several other suspected sites, "or do we try for one of the suspected sites and pray?" He pointed to several prominent landmarks.
"Naruto seemed pretty confident the one in the lake was boobytrapped," she turned away, hugging herself, "but then again, so was the one we found, and the others weren't real." She stared him in the eyes, "We don't have time; we have to go for the one we know. If it's gone, then we leave and accept the failure; we can't afford to keep delaying, none of our comrades can afford it."
"This way, then," he said as they took off at a brisk run. Their initial strategy of embracing stealth was now out the window. If Oorochimaru was out here, he knew where they were and easily could have butchered them at will, as was apparent with what happened to Team Eight. Whatever he was planning, Shikamaru wanted to be as far away as possible when it went down. Unfortunately, you're probably standing right next to his target!
Temari moved quicker than expected - quicker than he could move. Her shorts and light blouse gave her considerably less weight than his black and green field uniform. In fact, her fan covered more of her than her seasonally brief costume did. For the first time since leaving the bunker, he actually took notice of her strong, shapely legs. Suddenly, his mind wandered subtly back to their run-in at the bathhouse. Dude, seriously not the time for that!
Shikamaru knew it was a biologic effect, not an emotional effect, that was making it hard to concentrate on anything but her apperance. She had many features any heterosexual male would find attractive: blonde hair, teal eyes, a well-built body. He was sure all the guys in the bunker had the same reaction to seeing her. Hell, I bet Naruto, Sasuke, and Neji are thinking the same thing, and they're all attached! It was only biology that was making his heart race when he was near this overbearing, troublesome girl.
"Hey, you awake back there?" she called over her shoulder as they rounded a bend in the trail.
"Yeah," his voice cracked. Oh god, tell me she didn't just hear that!
She laughed at his expense, "Having fun with puberty, slow-poke?" she huffed as she picked up her pace.
What a pain in the ass! Shikamaru cursed his biology for the embarrassment almost as much as he cursed it for making him feel remotely attracted to Temari. Shikamaru picked up his pace and was again at her side. "You always this sassy this hour of the morning, or is it just for me?"
"Nah," she huffed, "that would require you to be special. I tease both my brothers over it when their voices crack." Her grin turned wicked, "I guess you can kiss your career as a boy-band singer good-bye!" They came to a stop at the bank of the swamp.
Shikamaru had to resist the urge to shove her face-first in the mud and grime. He had to remind himself it wasn't worth losing an important intelligence asset. The fate of both villages was possibly in this girl's hands, and momentary satisfaction was not worth the cost of losing her.
"So, what the hell is the trap?" she eyed the swamp, looking for the island.
"There it is," Shikamaru pointed to the scroll, still clearly visible in the middle of the island.
"No duh," she chided, "where in the hell is the actual trap?"
"You're missing the point," he huffed, "it's right in front of us." Even she can't be that blind.
"Where?" she pulled out a pair of binoculars, scanning the area.
"This way," he took her by the wrist.
Temari jerked her arm away, "Touch me again, and I'll kill you, myself!" she screeched.
"Whatever," Shikamaru walked along a raised muddy patch that separated swamp and lake. Good, don't give her the satisfaction!
"So, what the hell is the goddamn trap, smartass!" she yelled.
Shikamaru pulled off his pack, extracting a piece of beef jerky from his rations. Nonchalantly, he chucked it into the water as far away as possible. As the dried meat splashed, a flurry of violent splashes erupted like a lake monster murdering prey. Dammit, I hate being right all the time.
"What the hell is it?" Temari's eyes opened wide like a baby doll's.
"Green Lake Piranhas," he said gruffly as he knelt down, "Damn dangerous." He massaged his chin.
"So, carnivorous fish, big deal! We're how much larger than them?" she sounded unimpressed.
"Temari, I know you come from a desert, but these things swarm," Shikamaru stood up, looking at her fiercely, "and can strip animals the size of bears down to bones in five minutes…" he paused to gauge her reaction, grinning at her shocked mouth hanging low, "… and they are also venomous," he added for good measure.
She arched her eyebrows, "Shit!"
"Yeah," he nodded, "Shit, is right!"
Temari pulled out her fan, "We'll, I can use the winds to glide across."
"How accurate is your ability to land?" he asked.
"Why?" her face curled in annoyance.
"Because, that island is tiny, and if you miss and land in the water… well, let's just say the piranhas are attracted to splashing!" He shrugged, "And they're attracted to the smell of blood."
"If you're trying to gloat that you have a plan, it's not attractive," she said.
Shikamaru grinned, "I don't suppose you know how to walk on water?"
"Listen, smartass!" she crossed her arms in a huff, "Just because I come from a desert doesn't mean I don't know how to traverse water!"
"Good!" Shikamaru grinned, "If I don't make it, try and get the scroll while they feast on me!" Shikamaru began re-lacing his boots, blousing his pantlegs into his boots.
"Say what?!" Temari turned her head in confusion.
"You heard me!"
"Is this some macho thing?"
"No, this is the logical thing," Shikamaru began stretching in preparation for the run of his life.
"How so, you think I can't do it because I'm a woman!"
"No, it's because you're wearing shorts," he replied flatly.
"What's that got to do with anything?!"
"Even without a splash, they're bound to attack me," he explained, "They bite me, they have to get through my pantleg first; they bite you, and now we have blood in the water, and you'll be stripped to bone."
"This is crazy," she scowled, "and you're not telling me everything!"
"If you live, you tell Naruto's Dad everything you told us," he said grimly. He stared into her teal eyes, "Keep my family and my village safe!"
Temari knelt down, looking at him crossly, "Who are you, and what have you done with that lazy ass from the Nara Clan?"
"Ha, ha," he focused his chakra, "wish me luck."
As he prepared to spring off the ground, he heard her voice, "Good luck, be safe, smartass!"
Something about her words warmed his heart. Here we go! Shikamaru took off, trying to keep himself above the surface of the water as much as possible. Just keep going, don't look down! At that moment, he looked down, seeing the dark shadows of hungry carnivorous fish darting back and forth beneath him in the olive-green water. His toes dragged slightly, causing a minor splash in his wake. There was more splashing behind him as piranhas sprung out of the water. FASTER! FASTER! Shikamaru darted faster, almost to the island. As he closed the range, Shikamaru realized just how small the island – more a mound of mud – actually was.
His feet slapped terra firma, and he almost tripped and fell forward back into the lake as he slogged to a stop. Shikamaru dropped to his knees, burying them several inches as he heaved and gasped. He could see Temari on the opposite bank of the lake, looking small at this distance. Something else caught his eye, a figure clad in all white several hundred meters up the lakeshore, slowly stalking toward her. OH GOD!
Shikamaru without thinking turned to see the scroll sitting on a small metal platform. He grasped the earth scroll and pulled it to him. A slight resistance, and the sound of a drain plug releasing joined the sensation of the island sinking. SHIT! This is no island! Shikamaru leapt forward, barely focusing his chakra as the cleverly disguised buoy sank with a sucking onrush of water. His feet made contact with the surface, splashing vigorously as he stumbled along the surface.
A heavy slap hit him in the leg. Ignore it, run! Shikamaru again could see the figure in the white approaching a seemingly oblivious Temari. The figure stared out at him, smiling a viperish grin as Shikamaru splashed on the surface. Several violent slaps in the legs, and this time he felt the cold sting of a razor over his flesh. There was another, and another. The water around him soon began bubbling. OH GODS! NOT LIKE THIS! His brain flashed to the horrific thought of being skinned alive and god-knows-what being done to Temari by Oorochimaru.
Angry splashing came from much further, along with venomous taunts that could etch glass. "Chow time, ya freaky bastards!" Temari screeched as she used a kunai to cut her left leg above the ankle; she began splashing her leg in the shallows, drawing the attention of the aquatic predators off him. However, she seemed oblivious to the fact that only a few dozen meters away she was being stalked by someone who intended to murder her since day one. Oorochimaru had planned on killing Temari, not Gaara. With her dead, Gaara would be dangerously unstable and prone to manipulation. Almost there! Almost there!
Temari raked her fan back and forth, swirling eddies into the water, both batting away fish and spreading the smell of blood, attracting them away from Shikamaru.
Almostthere!Almostthere! The muddy ground squished beneath his boots as he raced the last few meters to Temari. She suddenly stumbled as a piranha slipped past her defenses and clamped its jaws around her bleeding leg. "AHHHHHH!" she screamed.
In a fluid motion, Shikamaru tackled her backwards off her feet and out of the water. She sprawled backwards, and he toppled over her. Satisfied they weren't in the water, he used his shadow possession to grip the piranha around her leg and force its mouth open; he flung the beast back into the lake. Oorochimaru! His head darted side to side, looking for the villainous shinobi. To Shikamaru's surprise, he wasn't anywhere in sight. No way I imagined that!
"Shikamaru!" he heard Temari groan, "are you going to get off me, or are you just getting comfortable!" she protested.
Shikamaru rolled off her, desperately scanning the area, "He isn't here!"
"Who isn't here?" she asked, wrinkling her face in disapproval.
"Oorochimaru!"
"What do you mean, he never was here!" she said, also scanning the area.
"I saw him walking on the lakeshore toward you!" he sniveled.
"Well," she said, "he isn't here now!" she gestured to the area around them.
"Screw it, let's get out of here!" he rolled to his knees.
"Gah!" Temari shouted as she tried to move her left leg.
Before she could protest, Shikmaru reached for the pack he'd left with her. Finding his first-aid kit, he began cleaning the cut and bite wound on her leg. "You're lucky," he grinned as he cleaned the site.
"AHH!" she moaned from the sting of antiseptic, "What are you talking about!"
"Only a small bite," he said, "only enough venom to cause some mild cramping for the next hour or so," he laughed.
"I'm happy that you're happy," she grimaced, "but I did threaten to kill you if you put your hands on me, did I not?"
"Would you prefer to lose your leg to gangrene?" he smiled.
"Fine," she huffed, crossing her arms, "do your worst, perv!"
"I shall," he continued to laugh as he bandaged the leg. He helped her to a sitting position, "No climb up on my back," he knelt for her.
"I'm not some princess who needs to be carried by the likes of you!" she sassed.
"You're brother's life is hanging in the balance, Temari," he remined her, "The sooner we get back, the sooner we can get him to safety."
Begrudgingly, she climbed on his back and he heaved her up. "Just one thing," she said, "not a word of this to anyone!"
"Temari," Shikamaru said, "my lips are sealed." As he turned to head back to the bunker, Shikamaru spied something he'd missed in the excitement of pushing Temari out of the water – footprints along the lakeshore. There was no doubt; he had seen Oorochimaru. Shikamaru scanned the area, no sight of him. Shikamaru took off running with Temari in tow. Feeling uneasy as he clutched his precious cargo. You could have killed us at will. I don't know what your game is, asshole, but I will figure it out! Determination burned in Shikamaru as he trudged their way back to safety.
Author's note: hey everyone, I hope you're all enjoying, and I thank you for reading. Not exactly a spoiler warning, but you may guess that as we get further and further from the point of divergence, this will start becoming less canon at points. Anyhow, be healthy, be safe, and I'll see you for next week's chapter!