It's here! the Start! The Drama! The Fight! The...well everything else, well not everything but mostly the start of it all lol.
Took me a freaking week agh to just get all this written XD i also went back and watched some more episodes from Naruto to help and did my research so don't come at me if I got something wrong lol Im trying here.
Enjoy!
The ambush bombings in the distance and the thundering run of a faraway army heading towards them, did little to settle the anticipation from the army and their leaders waiting for the start of battle. The grip of the cigarette to his lips tightening with the growing noise, his biggest battle yet, but he wasn't nervous, not entirely, just silently waiting for everything to fit into place, his plan.
The villages were what he sought to protect, his own and others, that's why he was here after all, the will to keep the peace for those who needed it, those who couldn't fight back, he was entrusted with the will of fire and knew what it meant, Asuma said that once, years ago.
Shinobi were always prepared to die for their nations, as pawns were meant to only aid in the survival of the King, he was a pawn after all, a sacrifice, his father told him that once, wise man knew what to expect after his own experiences.
The devious grin rising to Temari's lips beside him, watched under a silent dark stare, the wrath behind the goddess revealed, and the more than possible admiration for her fearlessness to add to it. He'd hate to be her enemy right now, Temari looks ready to kill anything in her path, and she'd probably do it with such elegance that the opponent wouldn't even have the chance to fight back. It was no wonder he stared, he really couldn't help himself at this point, to lazy to look away he always told himself, what a good excuse that was.
She'd be the end of him, Temari said that herself once, and he was just believing in those words now, damn smile, disrupting the thoughts, the logic behind things, such a troublesome woman would do such a thing.
A lot of people seemed to tell him thing that made no sense at some point and yet now they did, and they called him wise, wisdom was after all just knowledge passed on from person to person, it took a genius to figure out what each word meant.
With everyone in position, he was sure they knew all this too, he'd given his orders out and all that was left was to jump in and strike. With Choji and Ino at his back, Temari at his side and the thoughts stilling into calm bliss he was ready. Sakura stood by further down the ledge Naruto and Sai at her sides while she spoke among them, her mixed unit of Sand and Leaf at her back, supplies in hand and ready to heal. Shikamaru felt the wave of worry rush over him for a brief moment, Naruto would need to be ready to take on their leader, and he would have to be ready to get him there, that was the plan. Though prepared the uneasiness wasn't exactly going away, he was no coward, but he was more than cautious at every possible thing that could go wrong, there were to many factors involved to know exactly what would happen, the experiences he had over the years fueling in the unease with every move that was to be made.
And it began.
The first of their true enemy began to emerge.
The plan set in motion.
Shikamaru glanced from the cliffsides adorning above the path, the secret hidden from prying eyes, to the Rock shinobi advancing around the curve of the ravine, towards their own shinobi waiting at the pass below, the only exit blocked by their combined forces. His eyes shut the moment he heard it, the surprise at full effect, Neji's units setting off the hidden paper bombs on the path above the advancing army, Temari's idea after the inspiration from his attack a couple of weeks back. Like fireworks the bombs down the path began to light up and blast the sides of the cliffs, boulders, rocks, dust collapsing at the approaching army, burying many under the debris, but not enough. He heard Choji gasp behind him and turned to look at him and Ino when they rushed forward to witness the surprise at his side, them having not known.
"Shikamaru what was that? You didn't tell us you had a trap set up here" Ino turned to look at him, shocked, his face set in in a slow rising grin as he looked over to Temari.
"Her idea" Temari glanced over to them smugly when they all turned to her.
"What?" observing between the two dazed expressions Temari grinned slightly, amused by the looks of Ino and Choji "I like a fair fight, you two should know that by now" Temari shrugged casual in explaining "They wanted to overpower us, so I figured why not even our own odds a little more" Ino looked from Shikamaru to her and crossed her arms shaking her head, thought seemingly entertained at the idea.
"Leave it to two geniuses to come up with this, honestly we should have just become allies four years ago, would have been a lot easier on everyone if the nations never declared war in the first place"
"The past is the past" Shikamaru blew the last of the smoke and flicked the cigarette off the cliff with a sigh "we have to focus on what's going to happened right now"
"Always so serious" Temari taunted halfheartedly "you're going to make this boring for us Shikamaru"
"Why would war be exciting, even with the bombs I'm sure we are going to lose a lot of shinobi today?" Ino raised a brow and looked back at Temari, her grin falling into a thin line before she sighed heavily, her hands went to her hips and she looked between the three, a dangerously serious tone entering her once relaxed demeanor, the command for their attention instant as they looked at her.
"It's always a risk to lose someone when you enter battle, that's just a given but when you grow up with this being you everyday life, you either find some peace in it or you suffer. I've watched you three over the past four years, you're good, but you have grown up in a cushy existence, spoiled in the knowledge that you are safe in your own village, even your front is a luxury. You've only had a taste of what a real war is, but I was born into this it's all I have ever known, and I'm good at remembering why I do this" She looked between them, each silently watching her taking in her words, with roll of her eyes she crossed her arms continued slightly irritated now in the quiet stares "Well don't look so shocked, I expect more from you three seeing as you've been here the longest" she turned her gaze back into the cloud of dust from the surprise attack, the sound of earth shifting and distant cries filling in the silence, the three looks pointed to the Sand's command ignored as she counted down the seconds they had before the army emerged from the storm.
"We didn't know-" Ino began slowly and halted when Temari raised her hand to stop her from speaking but didn't turn to look at them as she spoke.
"I don't need your pity" the bitter warning quieted Ino as Temari continued her words firm but mellower as she explained, without hesitation "What I need from you is to understand that when you fight you don't just fight for your life you do it for the good of your people, the ones we protect. We might be pawns in all this, but we are the only thing that stands in the way of the enemy and our villages, so always be prepared to die for those who are innocent, it's not their fault any of this had to happened" She turned to look at them through a glare, Ino pressing her lips together and nodding slowly, Choji following her lead and nodding as well, both dazed at her speech. Shikamaru turned his gaze from Temari to his teammates, their eyes slowly turning to him as he nudged his head to ask them to leave. They both knew to nod and step back from them returning to their position behind, leaving the two alone. When he looked back at Temari she was already turned back to the dust storm watching as it began to settle in the distance, the calm before the storm "Say something and I'll knock you off this ledge" her threat answered with a small grin.
"I think I'll take that risk" Shikamaru leaned forward just enough to see the glare point to him, but he remained still challenging her anger "you know your kind when you want to be, still a bit harsh, but I think it's safe to say they get where you're coming from" Temari groaned, looking away for a moment thinking, before turning back calmer and speaking to him.
"Like I said before I recognize worth Shikamaru, enemy or not I've respected your squad for a long time, you three balance each other out very well" she paused for a second as if rethinking to speak further but she did though a little harder spoken as if she was admitting something "tell me you haven't seen me take a retreat or two when I saw you three, I know when I'm beat and I know not to underestimate my opponent" He smirked, of course he'd seen the reluctance over the years, that's why she always split his team if given the chance, or took her retreat with caution though covered in a façade of confidence and mocking words. He figured that out in the last year, when Ino got into her head "but you all are soft, even now" he bit back the grin, of course she'd cover her compliment with a criticism, she wasn't as gentle as he knew she could be. She put a finger to her chin, thoughtful before she grinned "you know it was like watching a team of naïve genin in the beginning, really you three were so clueless against me, it was fun for a while really" the taunt met with scoff on his part, but he was humored nonetheless, she wasn't exactly wrong either.
"What can I say you were tough to get past" he rubbed the back of his neck looking towards the dust for a second "took me while to figure you out" when he looked back to her, Temari was biting back a laugh.
"You still haven't but keep trying" she flashed an all-knowing smile "maybe you'll get there eventually"
"Always so full of yourself" Shikamaru grumbled.
"Told you before I have every right to be" she stated as if it was a known fact.
"Yeah, kinda figured that one out when you didn't kill me the first time" he muttered back.
"There's still time, besides ever wonder why I didn't kill you three years ago in Bara?" She looked past him, forcing Shikamaru to turn his gaze from her to the dust as it began to settle, Earth shinobi running out one by one, preparing for the first attack, the first strike between the shinobi clashing together. The question sitting heavy in the back of his mind for now, the mention of Bara, guess he had to survive to figure that one out.
"Do you trust me?" he asked abruptly, glanced back down to her as he straightened hands slipping into his pockets.
"Do you trust me?" she shot back, eyes narrowing slightly, reading into his frustration for her need to fire back.
"Why can't you woman just give a yes or no why does it always have to be a struggle to pull an answer from you" She chuckled, pleased in messing with him.
"If you don't already know by now then you are not the genius, I thought you were" Temari hummed and each of them turning from the advancing army to cast side glance at each other, the routine taunt beginning.
"You're troublesome you know that" he muttered, hiding the urge smile when she spoke.
"Thanks" she bit back her own grin.
"Not a compliment" they looked at one another, the stare quiet, calm, reading into the other, before she blinked and turned away, her edge returning as she spoke.
"Just follow my lead, and don't get in my way" he heard the click of her fan opening as she shifted it to rest in her hands behind her, teal eyes gazing back to the dust he knew it was time and sighed.
"Then what are we waiting for?" he looked through the crowd, the Earth leader's presence becoming known as Kurostuchi looked up towards the cliff at them, her shocked fury seen even at this distance "Ladies first" he gestured with his arm towards the start of the battle below, the clash of the three nations starting their fights.
"Such a gentleman" She said sarcastically with roll of her eyes, stepped away from him to turn her gaze from Kurostuchi to call the attention of her unit with the echoing thud of her fan into the ground below, the three Sand shinobi turned to her, her students quickly listening when she spoke her unforgiving edge returning, her authority more than present "let's move, clear the path for us as we push forward and break off when you see Kurostuchi, do not engage her" the three shinobi nodded hastily to her order "Matsuri Yukata stay behind Shikamaru's team as his backup" the girls nodded nervously, but readied to defend the flank of their group. Glancing back to Shikamaru with a tilt of her head, the pale green scarf shifting with the subtle breeze, the battle-ready smile accompanying her words, she always had to have the last word with him after all, his breath stilled when he admired the goddess as she backed away to the edge.
the wrath,
the beauty,
the trouble,
"Try to keep up Captain wouldn't want to miss our mark now, would we?" She flashed a devious smirk at the surprise to his face at the name of his title, the faint blush to go along with her final say, before she stepped backwards leaping from the cliff, three following at her sides. He hesitated to move, seemingly frozen to his spot the moment she sprang back, inhaling sharply when he heard the steps of his team coming to his side, his gaze turning slowly to Ino when she looked over to him, a wicked in her eyes.
"I saw that look Shikamaru" Ino grinned slyly, speaking under her breath beside him and Choji nudged his arm sharing the same look as Ino. His friend chuckled, each of them looking up at him when he sighed.
"This is such a drag" he muttered between then and took off, his team at his sides, amusement turning into seriousness as they made their way down after her unit.
The battle beginning.
Age Eleven
Temari looked cautiously over the edge of Suna's sandstone walls, the barrier that protected the Hidden village in the Sand from the desert, then gave a skeptical look back to her Sensei, she was fearless, always was, but the thought of purposefully jumping off a ledge like this, wasn't exactly the smartest idea she'd ever heard of. Baki seemed calm, he always was a rather stoic man, although a good sensei he wasn't one for comforting his only student, not that Temari needed her hand held when it came to training with him and his unusual methods.
"Baki sensei what is this going to teach me exactly?" She leaned her elbow against her weapon, the folded metal fan she'd only gotten a few months ago when she became a genin. Decorated like the smaller one her mother had, painted, and pinned behind a frame in their home, she had always admired it and when she found her talent in Wind Release jutsu, she was almost surprised to see her father so pleased with her, it was rare to see him anything but angry most days. He personally appointed Baki as her sensei, not that he hadn't been guarding her family for years now, as his wind style was meant to aid in her training. Though a tough teacher to please she was more than happy to take him on for the challenge in it, he was merciless, and she was more than willing to learn, if not mock him when he did show his rare softer side to the family he swore to protect. She always looked up to him since she was younger, seeing as her father wasn't there much, but those thoughts were kept down with anything else that have brought happiness to the life she had been delt.
"How to react faster" Baki spoke simply crossing his arms and narrowed his eye at her when she groaned, annoyed over the whole idea he had proposed.
"You said to jump off, why would I purposefully jump off a ledge, how is that going to help me learn anything?" she protested and leaned her chin on the end of her fan, mulling the positives to the exercise, not a very strong list in her opinion.
"Because I told you to" he grunted "do you ever do as your told Temari?" she peeked over to him with a pout, maybe she'd mess with him a little.
"Sometimes" answering with a snarky grin pointed at him, he shook his head to her, remaining serious on the matter.
"As your sensei, you must listen to everything I tell you, because who knows, you might actually learn something, and if I say jump then jump" he replied curtly, clearly not in the mood to bother with her taunting, but she pressed on.
"Seems counterproductive, what if I die?" straightening she put a hand to her hip and eyed him.
"Then Kankuro will be my next student" he muttered both sharing a look of amusement.
"Heartless much?" she turned her gaze back into the rolling dunes of the desert, listening to his long weary sigh at her need to argue against him.
"I'm sorry princess should I hold your hand and help you down" he said sarcastically and smirked when the fire behind the teals turned to him, accompanied by a scowl, her anger retuning at full effect.
"I don't need your help, I want an explanation" she hissed, his enjoyment only fueling in her rant "I just want to know why it is you want me to jump off the stupid ledge, how is going to help me react faster?" With a groan he raised his index finger and began to explain.
"The wind Temari" he began sounding like a wise old man, she would have ridiculed him if he didn't sound so severe on the matter "that is your only ally when you are in battle, learn to wield it and you will be unstoppable. A great shinobi, or in your case kunoichi, learns to master their talents at a young age, and with the power you have shown so far you will master your skill in no time, if you pay attention and learn to listen to the wind, to feel what it has to say to you" She blinked up at him, words sinking in, but nonetheless she kept on with her game.
"Sounds like something those elders that play Shogi would say" she gave him a smirk, he was always fun to mess when he was this serious, you'd think she would have learned by now.
"I warned you not to be so arrogant, didn't I?" he gave her that stern expression, he was more than serious but she was more than ready to fight back, thought not with much of his urgency as him.
"Yeah yeah it'll be my downfall or whatever" she rolled her eyes and looked warily at him when he stepped to her side.
"I warned you" He placed a firm hand to her back and pushed her, Temari eyes widened and before she knew it, she was off the ledge, falling. The smirk from Baki the last thing she saw as the wind slashed past her. The wind her friend what kind of nonsense was that and what kind of sensei would do this? Oh, that's right Baki would. Be fearless she thought, even as she fell, she was more pissed than scared, maybe he was right she was overconfident most of the time, the thought making her groan in her descend. Shutting her eyes for a moment, composing herself, almost feeling at bliss in the fall, the chaos around her so distant, the calm of this, so dull. React faster she told herself, the wind was an ally not a foe, her body finally reacted as she twisted her legs, hands gripping the edge of the fan letting it slip open and swinging it towards the incoming sand below. She gasped when the attack of her fan seemed to lift her from what could have been her death. Though unstable at first, she was soon laughing as she flew her way back up to the top of the wall, the one-eyed gaze of Baki watching her, almost proudly, as she managed her way down to him.
One of the very few things she began to trust in, the wind.
The slash of the breeze rushing past her face, she almost felt at easy falling back off the cliff, the wind was always on her side, always so familiar with all the chaos around her. When she landed her unit obeyed the command given to them, following in her movement as the three fans slipped open and the path ahead suddenly rushed up into a cloud of dust and sand, the first strike, meant to blind the enemy, well most others simply flew back in the sudden gust of wind. A squad of three following behind their advance forward as they pushed, the flash of orange tailing not too far behind. Temari rushed past shinobi, Sand, Leaf, and Rock all battling each other. Some boulders tossed into the air, some shinobi sent flying, the clinks of kunai being met with other weapons, shouts and cries from men and women sounding into the thick air.
The traces of blood on the ground below.
Nothing fazed her, she'd seen, heard, and felt it all before, what was this battle compared to the many others Temari had faced. The advancing Rock shinobi towards her, pulling her out of her thoughts, she didn't have to look beside her to know Daizen, Hiro, and Saku had already stopped and swung their attacks clearing her path, the blast of the wind simply knocking the pair of shinobi before her into the crowd to consumed in combat to notice the falling shinobi, she'd laugh if she wasn't so focused on the four Rock shinobi advancing past them towards her. Light on your feet and strike when you know the attack will hit, Baki always in her thoughts, probably knocked some sense into her during her training.
The hits to the men lined up immediately as she thought on her feet, her first strike preserving her chakra, she shifted the closed fan in between her hands gripping tightly as she came to a sudden stop, stance firm, unmovable as she leaned back at the first strike, kunai whipping past her face, at the same moment the side of her fan slammed into his side, pushing him into the crowd. One. Using the end of her fan she sent the next strike into the jaw of the second Rock shinobi, his attack coming seconds after the first, knocking him flat onto his back with a pained shout as he slid back on the ground. Two. The two left stopped with the takedown of the second and looked from their fallen comrade to her, the smirk rising to her lips accompanied with a shift in her stance as the fan slipped open, three stars staring down the men before they flew back into the crowd with the push of the wind. Three. Four. Daizen was quick to rush to her side as she began running forward again, the path clear for now.
"Lady Temari, Hiro got knocked back by a boulder, I haven't seen him since then" he quickly shouted to her, catching his breath after his own fight to clear the way.
"Damn it" already one down she thought, great "what about Saku?"
"Right here" Saku called taking to her other side, looking nervously past her when she glanced back.
"Take to the sides, we need to get the Jinchuriki in front" she ordered, the two men casting a stunned look to one another, but nodding and splitting off from her. Avoiding the smaller one on one fights to the sides of her, Temari saw the Leader of the Earth in the distance, the woman's shout echoing above the boulder she stood on, accompanied by her hands coming together and throwing hands signs to fast to see, if one wasn't looking, and Temari was.
She felt it before she saw it, the shift in the earth, the splitting of the ground, the cracking as the pillars rose outwards towards the crowd around them. While some of the sandy colored rock pillars rose high in the air as a sort of barrier around Kurostuchi, few openings but openings nonetheless, her defending Rock shinobi around her, helping in aid the push of the combined army away from them with the jutsu. Predictable Temari thought, when offence didn't work defense always came into play. She slowed her run towards them only enough to slip past the pillars and slide through one of the few gaps in the defense, coming to face the Rock shinobi in front of her, her sudden appearance surprising him, as well as the end of her fan as it connected with his gut and he flew back into the air, right over their Leader's position in the middle of the group. Kurostuchi saw the man's flight, heard his surprised scream, above her gapping as she quickly turned to the source of his downfall.
"Damn you!" She shouted out to Temari when she saw her, teal gaze quickly scanned the shinobi coming to their leader's side, eight no wait nine. As always fearless in any endeavor she flashed a grin, her weapon slipping open, instantly, to her side as she spoke, voice dripping with a smooth taunt having bested her enemy's defense.
"Fooled you, didn't we?" savoring in the dark-haired woman's anger, Temari tensed, ready to move when he reached the mark.
"How did you even know we were going to attack your nations?" The confusion hidden well under her furious demand. Temari leaned against her fan, almost sounding bored in explaining.
"You went up against two geniuses Kurostuchi. Honestly, what did you expect was going to happened when we figured it out?" She smirked at her, the woman's fury seeming to match her own, though Temari's hid under a façade of sadistic amusement as she leaned back shifting her fan in her hands. The signal, the call behind her, the shout of Choji ready in his attack, and without hesitation, Shikamaru's plan at full affect, Temari swung her fan and blew a cloud of dust into the shocked group and sprang back smoothly revealing the advancing shadow slithering under her, the barrier that once blocked their way now crushed under the rolling Choji, allowing the shadow to split apart as it ran into the sudden sandstorm she created. The shinobi that once blocked her path, the leader who wasn't aware, in the blinding chaos, everyone, stilling under the dark shadows hold and when the dust settled it was complete. Landing behind Shikamaru, fan set and ready to her side, she met his glance back with a grin, to giddy in the plan working to help herself when she spotted Kurostuchi's frozen stance through the piled pillars and shadows.
"Think she'd mad at us?" glanced back down to Shikamaru as he turned back to look between the shinobi under his hold as the storm cleared fully, each shinobi's face set in shock, their Leader, helpless like the rest of them, but furious.
"Safe to say, I know an angry woman when I see one" he called back over the chaotic shouts around them, few noticing their success, the sudden unease of those few making themselves known.
"Lady Temari watch out!" Temari turned back at the call of her students, her gaze catching the rush of a pair of Rock shinobi coming to their Leader's aid, but the threat was quickly met with Yukata and Matsuri already chasing after them, in between them Ino, arm raised as she threw her kunai towards one. The shinobi slowed as the kunai met his shoulder and when he turned back Yukata was at his side throwing down her own kunai into his back, as she jumped past him, Ino right behind her. The rock shinobi's companion looked back at the sudden shout, only to be wrapped in Matsuri's johyo and tugged down into the ground, face first. Temari bit back her laughter at their success and looked to Ino as she came to her side with a huff, Shikamaru glancing back when his teammate spoke.
"Those two know what they're doing" she panted and grinned at Temari "I could've been knocked out had they not been there, stupid boulder almost had me but they saved me back there"
"They are my students after all" Temari spoke proudly, pleased in her student's success.
"You ready Ino?" Shikamaru shouted back over the sound of a distant paper bomb going off.
"Alright I'm going in, you guys have some time before Naruto gets here, he got caught up behind us" Ino called to the two and stepped to Shikamaru's side arms raised before her "you better catch me" she warned and aimed at the still fuming Kurostuchi. Temari shifted her fan behind her shutting it and crouched slightly when Ino tilted backwards, her first thought as she caught her, woman was as light as a feather. Holding her in her arm her gaze instantly scanning around her to make sure she would be safe while out of her body, thankfully their unit was around to keep the three in the middle from unnecessary battling as they waited, before glancing over to Shikamaru when he caught her holding Ino. If he ridiculed her later for watching over his teammate, she'd definitely throw him off that cliff, but even she wasn't that cruel to leave an unconscious comrade down in the middle of a fight, old enemy or not, he vowed to watch her back and her the same for him, his team just happened to be apart of that.
"What?" turning her teal glare to him, he looked back towards the trapped shinobi, Kurostuchi frozen in the middle and eyes shut.
"Ever going to tell me what the stares were about earlier?" he asked casually.
"Wouldn't you like to know" She teased with a roll of her eyes and held her shut fan beside her, looking back as the rush of orange was heard before he was seen, his shout of willpower echoing among the noise. Uncomfortable as he made her feel, she was almost relieved to see Naruto had finally made it to his mark, his rush to their side quickly catching everyone's attention, barely noticing Yamato slowing down behind him when he spoke.
"Alright! we made it" The blonde gave the two a wide accomplished grin "you guys should have seen the cliff side go down, lost a few shadow clones to it, but I'm here now believe it!" Shikamaru grinned the determination from Naruto seeming to spark a surge of amusement from him, but it quickly fell as he became serious in explaining the current situation.
"Temari got us through without any trouble, and Choji got the barrier down, figured she'd do something like that, but Ino's already got her with the mind transfer before she could do anything about it" He looked back to the eight in his hold and scanning between them before continuing "We can hold them for a few more minutes, but as soon as you get in there Ino will have to come back"
"You doubting me Shikamaru?" Naruto put a firm pat to his back and looked down at him.
"Never" The two grinned and Shikamaru nodded "Now get in there before more of theirs notice us, I don't think they are going to like seeing their commander captured like this"
"You got it Sir" Shikamaru dropped his head with a groan, Naruto snickering when he did. Temari looked from their exchange to Naruto as he clasped his hands together "here we go" a shadow clone appeared at his side and the two rushed forward, Yamato quick to follow. Temari's attention turned from them down to Ino as she began to move in her arm, the surprised look she gave her when she looked up at Temari.
"Temari?" Ino looked at her warily.
"Had a nice nap?" Temari joked and helped her sit up beside her.
"Ha you're funny" Ino sat up with a short laugh, both entertained by the brief exchange "Thanks for watching over me" Temari nodded as Ino looked up at the shadow of a painted bird passing over them to land "Sai made it!" She beamed and quickly stood looking from the bird as it disappeared in a splash of ink and Sai sprang down before their unit, he looked back to Shikamaru who nodded and with the silent order given, Sai rushed forward towards the battle ahead, Kurostuchi versus Naruto.
The flash of a blue orb crashing into the ground below, the dodge from the Earth's command as she sprang away, the painted lions coming to attack, the signs made from her hands, the inhale for air. Temari sneered and watched the Lava release shot down to Naruto, the painted lion splattering ink everywhere as it met the attack, capturing Naruto in a blackened hold. The shock on his face meeting her grin, then a cloud of smoke as the shadow clone disappeared. The real Naruto appearing from behind one of the pillars as he rushed past a pair of Rock shinobi surprised at his sudden appearance. Kurostuchi landed back down and as the blue orb rushed for her a second time, quickly creating a barrier around herself, the rasengan almost reaching its mark. The pair that he had ran past, turned and in unison threw their hands down, the earth shaking under their combined jutsu, the shake splitting the earth right before Naruto, the giant boulder shooting out towards him, protecting their leader in her barrier. The sudden rush of pink hair jumping over the barrier, the roar of her attack, widening the Rock shinobi's eyes behind him, both stunned.
"Shanaroo!" the enraged shout from Sakura shattering the boulder into pieces, her body slipped past Naruto his opening to attack made easier, his rasengan making direct contact with barrier as it shattered apart, the Leader that was once inside. Gone.
"Where did she go?" Ino looked between the two commands of Sand and Leaf, shocked that the attack had not been successful.
"She's underground" Shikamaru called back to her, frustrated but thinking quick "We won't be able to figure out where she went at this point" Temari scoffed the two turning to look at her, when she looked past them, listening.
"If she's underground then all we have to do is drag her out, easy" She stated simply, the unconvinced look at Ino met with a sigh as she spoke.
"How are we going to do that?" Ino furrowed her brows at her, skeptical "Even your wind style can't help us here"
"Just watch and who know you might learn something" Temari stepped past the two, fearless, confident, ruthless as she grinned back at them, the end of the fan slammed into the ground, the sound of metal separating and the three moons staring towards the battle ahead, Naruto, Sai, and Sakura busied by the Rock shinobi rushing towards them, their Leader hidden underground. Taking her weapon into her hands, her stance firm, holding her ground, Temari twisted her body as she called upon the Sea Dragon jutsu over the shouts, screams, and calls of the battle around them. Ino and Shikamaru behind her covering themselves from the blast of the wind current as the three cyclones crashed into the earth stirring up the battles near them, Sakura, Sai, and Naruto in the middle saved from further shinobi entering their fight in the process. A sudden shift in the ground under the attack, the unexpected rumble, under the feet of the shinobi around the unit that had pushed forward. Kurostuchi sprang out from the earth below, given no choice, but to emerge and brace herself past the wind's aftermath, coming to stand between the units, turning quick to glower at the smug smirk pointed to her from Temari.
"Not bad" Kurostuchi looked from her to her own unit, fighting against Team Seven, and back as she spoke.
"Thanks" The flash of a triumphant grin caused Kurostuchi to sigh as if she was objective in speaking further, but she did.
"Shame it'll have to end soon, as surprised as I was to see your nations come together for the alliance, what makes you think it'll last?" Temari dropped her amusement, her calm before the storm beginning "you Sand shinobi aren't to be trusted after what you did to the Hidden Leaf village ten years ago"
"Why does everyone keep blaming us for that" Temari groaned, hearing this to many times over the years "It was one of the Sanin's fault?"
"Yes, Orochimaru" Kurostuchi mused for a moment "the one who killed the fourth Kazekage, your father right" Kurostuchi grinned smugly when Temari gripped the end of the fan, the mention infuriating her as her opponent wanted it to "now that was the talk of the nations, no wonder you declared war on them after failing to make amends for your nations major screw up"
"The past is behind us" Temari warned her tone unforgivingly calm, to calm.
"Are you sure about that? Do you really think that they trust you, after all you Sand shinobi are nothing but traitors, hiding away in the desert along with your Kazekage" The slow grin growing to Kurostuchi's lips, only fueled in the rising anger, the burning fire behind the teals that barely held back as she finished speaking "How is he, your jinchuriki Gaara?" The only thing that stopped her from leaping forward was the firm grip to her shoulder, and the serious voice that spoke beside her.
"And what makes you think we don't trust each other?" The two turned to look at Shikamaru when he spoke, coming to Temari's side, his hold in her releasing as he did, to her other side Ino emerged, stance firm and fists bawled ready to strike on command. Kurostuchi looked between them and sneered at their sudden presence.
"The Leaf's tactical genius, you know you're not as smart as they say, they'll just turn around and stab you in the back after this battle. Why would you ever trust them, their nation has always been known to deceive others?" She said with such scorn behind her words.
"We created this alliance to go up against your invasion, you thought you could turn our nations against each other while you came in and wiped out what was left after the battle, that was your first mistake" Shikamaru didn't hesitate as he continued stating each word with as if was just fact, but with a calm rage "your second mistake was underestimating us to look past every thing that had happened in the past and work together to protect our nations from yours, we can't let you get past our fronts, and we won't let you get to our villages" Kurostuchi looked between Shikamaru and Temari, each set in an impassive glare at her, before she grinned.
"So, it was you two who took out Captain Chikyu, and here I thought it was the Akatsuki who killed my remaining shinobi in the Land of Rain" she dropped her head for a moment amused at them "you know, I'd always been curious to see which of you two would win in a battle, perhaps that's why I wanted to pin your nations against each other, but great minds think alike I suppose" with a sigh she raised her head and smirked "You might have figured out what we had planned then but it's no good when your about to die now"
"Oh yeah Bring it on bitch!" Ino screamed out raising her fist at her, each of the three tensing ready to move. Kurostuchi glared back at them, a moment of silence passing between each, until Kurostuchi clasped her hand together the signs to fast to see, if one wasn't looking, and slammed her palms down into the ground, her shout merging into the noise around them.
Then the Earth below began to split.