A little bit later, Temari and her brothers were standing before the new Kazekage of the Sand. The red headed woman lit up a new cigarette and looked at the three.

"I know, it ain't gunna be easy."

She began.

"But we ain't in the position to choose, ya know. Tsunade sama just informed me 'bout kidnapin' of Uchiha Sasuke by Orochimaru."

At the name "Orochimaru" Temari's fist clenched, but her face remained just as calm.

"A team of genins were assembled, lead by a chuunin."

Yanagi turned and looked at Temari with a smirk.

"'eir names're Uzumaki, Naurto, Akimichi Chouji, Hyuga Neji, Inizuka Kiba and the chuunin in lead Nara Shikamaru."

The girl's face became bright red.

"WHAT??? THAT BUM GOT PROMOTED????"

Yanagi dropped her cigarette. Out of all the possible reactions, THIS one was unexpected. Even Gaara and Kankuro eyed their sister with strange expressions on their faces. Temari groaned in disbelief.

"I CAN"T believe it!!! HE got promoted. Not only that, NOW we have to go SAVE his ass TOO!!! And he's WEARING THE CHUUNIN VEST????"

She rubbed her forehead. Then uttered another deep sigh.

"I swear, those elders in Konoha are a bunch of near sighted morons!"

Yanagi coughed, fruitlessly trying to conceal a smile.

"Temari-chan!!"

Temari frowned, but regained her composure.

"Yes, Kazekage sama."

The three of them bowed their heads and after more briefing, exited the palace.

"What the fuck was that?"

Kankuro looked at his sister, who was traveling between him and his younger brother. Temari made a face.

"I can't believe that BUM!! He's the LAZIEST ninja in the WHOLE DAMN village...Ugh. I mean you, or I, or ANYONE is so much better than Shikamaru and he's a chuunin. I mean...GOD that village is full of morons."

"Be careful where you say that, Temari."

Gaara uttered, forcing his siblings to turn and look at him. Temari nodded.

"Hai. I know. I know."

"Didn't you like... like him or something?"

Kankuro asked her. Temari made an angry face.

"What kind of a stupid question is that?"

She growled at her younger brother. Kankuro snickered, but stopped asking her questions. That could have gone both ways. Usually Temari responded with such a remark when the answer was obvious. He glanced over at her face and wasn't surprised to find slight traces of pink. Her expression was set though. And he knew that expression very well. It didn't forecast anything good for the enemies they were about to encounter.

They traveled for two days, almost non stop. A two hour break they took at the last village didn't count. They needed to let their bodies rest and refuel. The road led up to the forest and then split up. Temari looked at Gaara.

"Gaara..."

The red head nodded. He closed his eye and began forming another one out of sand. Once the creepy creation was complete, the small ball of sand sprouted into the sky, and began hovering above their heads. The moments that Gaara was collecting information seemed so incredibly long. Temari and Kankuro watched his facial expression carefully, trying to guess which way the battle went. Leaf or the Sound.

"Three."

He finally said.

"All of them are ...being pursued...No...Four.."

"Four?"

"Inizuka, Nara, Uzumaki and Lee."

"Lee?"

Temari and Kankuro exchanged glances.

"What about the Sound guys?"

"Two of them I've never seen before. One ..."

Gaara paused.

"Kimmimaro."

Temari and Kankuro exchanged glances for the second time. Something in Gaara's voice told them, he has faced this enemy before, but now wasn't the time to ask these questions.

"What happened to Akimichi and Hyuga boys?"

Temari asked. Gaara looked at his sister.

"They're not there."

Temari furrowed her brows.

"We got here late, but not too late. So...This is how we'll do this..."

"I'm going to fight Kimmimaro."

Gaara stated, still looking at her. It wasn't a question, it wasn't a doubt. It was a statement. Temari mussed her lip for a second then nodded.

"So be it. You take Kimmimaro guy. Who else is left?"

"You take the girl, and you take the other guy, Kankuro."

"Roger."