Chapter 10

His weekend obligations concluded Shikamaru left directly for Sunagakure on Sunday evening. Since he was traveling light and alone he set a brisk pace for himself, using a few soldier pills when needed. He made it into Suna proper late on Tuesday night. Since he didn't want to go knocking on the door of the Kazekage tower past midnight he crashed at the hostel Konoha maintained in Suna for shinobi in transit between missions.

The chuunin on duty checked him in and gave him a key to a locker where he could stash his stuff and assigned him a bunk number. Fortunately there weren't too many occupants and he was the last arrival so no one disturbed him during the night.

The next morning he showered and tried to make himself presentable, hoping things weren't too wrinkled since they'd lain stuffed in the bag for several days. When he checked out with the chuunin, out of habit he swung by the missions desk. He wasn't expecting anything but to his surprise there was a message bearing the official Kazekage seal.

Well...shit.

He hadn't necessarily expected a message from Temari - she knew he was coming. He had thought they would meet at her apartment which was in the private wing of the tower.

He certainly hadn't expected a message from Gaara.

It was pretty straightforward, simply requesting him to meet the Kazekage in his office at 9am the morning he arrived. Odd that it didn't specify a date. Did Temari not think he was coming at all? Or was she just unsure how quickly he could get away and how fast he would travel? He allowed himself to believe that it was the latter. Of course the possibility existed that she didn't want to see him at all and was just having Gaara deliver the message.

Checking the clock it was only 7:30 in the morning. He suspected now would not be the time to try to see Temari privately. Sighing he decided to get some breakfast and kill time for the next hour and a half.

He registered at the Kazekage's office a little before nine and was ushered to a comfortable anteroom. In only a few minutes he was called into the office. Gaara was seated at his desk, Kankuro standing slightly behind and to the right of him with his arms crossed.

Temari was nowhere in sight.

Shit - he was screwed.

There was a chorus of mumbled, unenthusiastic greetings between the three young men and he hoped he was properly respectful of the office. But he doubted at the moment that any foreign spy found in Konoha had ever been subjected to such glares from Ibiki as the two brothers were giving him right now.

Let the interrogation begin, he thought silently to himself.

Surprisingly it did not. Gaara simply said, "Shikamaru, we have a message for you from Temari. She requested that if you were to come to Suna we instruct you to meet her in Amezrou."

The 'if' in his statement sounded venomous. Wincing inwardly he wondered if Temari had really expressed it that way.

"Okay," he ventured cautiously. When neither one spoke, he asked, "Anything else?"

"No, just meet her in Amezrou," Kankuro said nonchalantly although his eyes held an entirely different message.

"Actually," Gaara added, "we were wondering if you might have anything else you could share with us about her recent behavior?"

Shikamaru shook his head, "No." It was the truth - he could not share the details of their current situation with anybody until the two of them knew what they were going to do about it. Then he added, "She's not been exactly communicative lately."

Gaara nodded then continued, "I'm sure you can understand we are concerned about our sister."

Shikamaru simply nodded as well - he never doubted that for an instant.

"You'll find her at this address," Kankuro jotted it down on a piece of stationary and slid it across the desk to him "She's staying with Baki for the time being. He's the only one she seems willing to talk to."

Baki was their sensei Shikamaru remembered. Briefly he visualized what Asuma might have done if this were Ino. Shit - he was really screwed

He realized Kankuro was saying something else to him. "It's about a day's journey from here. We'd recommend you don't undertake it until dark."

"Good to know," Shikamaru acknowledged, wondering if the audience was now over.

"Well, then, have a safe trip," Gaara said. Apparently it was.

Shikamaru turned and left the tower, wondering what to do with himself for approximately the next eight hours. He decided to check back into the hostel. The chuunin seemed surprised to see him again but didn't ask questions. He stowed his gear once more in the locker provided but decided to just wander around town before taking a nap prior to the trip.

He went through the same market Temari and her brothers had visited earlier. He had in mind to get her a gift but was not sure what he was looking for. Apparently every vendor in every stall seemed to know what he was about, asking him to describe the special young lady for whom he was shopping. He wondered - if he told them that she could pick the flesh from their bones with her fan and smile while doing it, what kind of articles they would suggest?

Shaking his head, moving from stall to stall he was thinking back to his conversations with Ino and Mom. He supposed it was appropriate, seeking advice from two scary women about the third. But still he wondered what Dad would have had to say about it. What would Dad do?

Well, that was stupid.

He already knew what Dad would do. Mom had told him.

The seller in the current stall had a broad assortment of earrings, bracelets and necklaces. Shikamaru picked out a couple of things then asked him where he could purchase an engagement ring.

Ino's advice was echoing in his ears. The only thing he risked having hurt was his pride. So if they were going to do this, they were going to do it right.