MISSIONS VS MORALS
The Coming Hours
The dust floating in the air restricted the pair's breathing. The weight of each particle could be felt hovering mid-air in the room. The silence was surreal. What in the hell just happened. This was sure one hell of a situation to be in. And right before the weekend.
"Damn, something told me to take a pass on this mission, what a drag…" Shikamaru shifted his upper body so that it leaned halfway against a wooden box. His body ached, he had no feeling in his leg. Maybe that was the only good soaked the side of his black jeans. Making a flattened impression of where the red crimson stuck to his skin.
"Hmm, that sounds like you." Temari looked at her torn attire. Though she really couldn't see anything. It was the dead of night now. The darkness of the tent only reflected the gravity of the situation. "So what are we going to do? You heard that manic, he's trying to start the next Great Ninja war for shits and giggles."
Eyes looking towards Shikamaru, she waited to see where his head was at. He had to be thinking of a plan an escape. "Well, everybody needs a hobby, don't they. What's this tension between the Sand and Land of Waters?" his voice was dry and distant. The man was drained, who wouldn't be. His team had been following that Giichi for three days tracking him down. All this work, and to end like this, what was a joke.
Some greater being had to be messing with him right now. And to get Temari caught in this mess too. ugh...
Temari blew a strand of stray hair from the center of her face. " If I tell you then I'd have to kill you." She hunched over, there was no need to wasted good energy-or what remaining energy she had left- trying to scoot over to find something to rest against. Temari's shoulder and arm screamed from the slightest of movement. With her adrenaline gone, she prayed to lose feeling in both limps soon.
"So by that response, I guess you weren't going to tell me?" As if now was really the time or place to try to discuss the matter.
"It's Sand business, nothing the Leaf needs to be involved in. " meaning nothing she had to open up to him for.
"Well by sociopaths terrible pun, I wouldn't want to be involved in it anyway." she rolled her eyes. knowing he couldn't see her. Though she'd do it whether he saw her or not.
"like I said The Leaf does not need to get involved."
"Then why'd you asks?"
"Unfortunately for you, I can't help because the Leaf has ties with the Land of Waters. So if it's anything involving them it involves me too." Shikamaru could instinctively feel a reflecting comeback brewing. why not cut to the chase, because they don't have time. " please, I don't need the attitude Tem, just a simple explanation would suffice."
"I don't have an attitude. But someone with the metal in his leg sure does. You're welcome by the way."
"For what?"
"Saving you and your team's ass." Is she really going to throw that at him? and now? of course, she would this is Temari were talking about. She loves to jab at him with everything she has. How troublesome.
"We had it under control." he retorted.
"Sure you did." The remark rolled off her tongue. Like a person, whos said the saying time and time again. Which she has...
"Hey, what were the odds of him being a skilled wind user- not to mention a damn human suicide bomber those type of ninja aren't around that much."
"Yea an impressive wind user that also has three changes in chakra nature."
"Hmm, that sure was one hell of a thing for Tsunade to leave out in the overview."
" she probably knew your lazy ass wouldn't take it."
"Ha, you wouldn't be wrong there. This bites."
"You Leaf sure like to go in headfirst."
"You should talk with that hard head of yours."
"Shut up."
"This cute talk is fun and all but it's wasting a lot of needed energy both you and I barely have." a pause came, between the two's banter.
"keeps things…as close to normal as things can be in this situation." Temari finally retorted "How's your leg?"
"Peachy... I can almost not feel it" the sand kunoichi almost found herself envious.
" Don't move as much. It'll keep whatever blood you have still in."
"trust me, I don't plan on doing backflips anytime soon." Shikamaru laughed aloud, what else could he do? it was a fucked up situation, either way, you looked at it. they were screwed. but after his laughter fell on a deaf remark Shikamaru grew concerned. "Tem?"
"You know I hate it when you call me that it's so...girly."
"It'll grow on you."
"…It was Sand ninja."
"Huh?"
"Sand ninja…some stupid genin that caused this mess we're in. They were returning from a mission from the Land of Waters, it was there first mission alone, a simple D rank mission. They had placed some boobie traps around their camp to catch food. Well, their trap caught a kid and messed him up pretty badly. I guess they panicked and instead of getting help they left him there. They probably thought he was a nobody or I don't know. That kid was found a day or so later, he died of complications of his injuries. He was the Water Daimyo youngest son."
"Shit…."
"Kid couldn't be more than 12 or 13. It's terrible really. So despite what you may think of me stalking you I wasn't. I was returning with orders for Gaara. And no asshole has those orders"
"what's the situation?"
"An eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth. Those kids were idiots for leaving him to die, but they don't deserve to die either."
"They were scared."
"yea..."
"So what are your options?"
"What do we really have? that grieving father- the family will want some sort of payback."
"servitude?"
" Doesn't matter….we all know how that will end. The man lost his son, it doesn't matter what those genins do. They will be in debt to that man for the rest of their lives. If he doesn't want to take it himself."
"Gaara wouldn't let that happen."
"I know, but if the Water Daimyo doesn't get revenge for his son himself, he'll just get someone else to do it. I mean how can we really fix something like that? Peace is all good and dandy until loved ones are involved."
"I see..." it made sense this was not a good look for the Sand, and if they get out of his alive. Shikamaru is sure he'll be hearing about it from Tsunade herself. "Thanks for the depressing information."
" Well you wanted to know, and that sulky attitude if yours was starting to piss me off ."
"I thought we were in agreement to tell each other everything."
"everything? how touchy for you Nara. You need to get out of the moment, your feelings get too involved."
"I won't argue with you there, I have been known to be a softy. but that what couples. they confide in one another."
" We're friends. Okay." there he goes, again...trying to solidify something that could never happen. How many times did Temari have to tell him that their casual hookups meant nothing? Just two young people having fun. nothing official about that. They couldn't!
"Wow I've been demoted to a friend, at least I make sure to see my friends. " that shot was fair. she had been avoiding a lot lately. But she had her reasons, and she didn't have the heart to face him with that.
" Does it really even matters now Shikamaru? Really in a time like this?!" she lost it, she was mad at him. He didn't need to remind her of the gravity of the situation because she felt it the moment she regained consciousness. she was trapped, and with a person, she had grown to truly care for. This was her- any Ninja worst nightmare.
"I wish that wasn't the case but we both know better. Listen This bastard is going to use everything he has against us. And his deck is damn high already."
"…i..i know..."
"Look we can get out of this Tem, but we need to think and stay clam, throw out every plan every possible scenario out there."
"Shikamaru we only have 24 hours ...as soon as that sun rises. Hell, we both might as well be dead already and not even know."
"If there's one thing I learned about Yuuko, is that he's not bluffing. what he says, he's going to do. we just have to change his mind."
"You think that brain of yours can come up with some type of foolproof escape plan?" Temari didn't doubt Shikamaru or his mind. the man was a genius, but with his condition and half blood drained body. It would take everything out of him to stay conscious in the next few hours.
"It has to if we both plan on getting out of here alive."
Reviews
Guest- Thank you for the review, the hard parts are yet to come! Stay tuned.
Laellin- Thank you for the review. I thought it would be an interesting concept, we both know Shikamaru and Temari would die for their nation. But it has to be impossible to think of that then your lover is directly involved.
STAY SAFE AND INSIDE!