Author's Note:
This is where the story is going to start to earn it's rating. For this particular chapter, there will be swearing and violence. I've not really written anything like this before, so I hope I did it some justice.
The lovely and talented Sylversmith was the beta for this chapter and it is a 100 times better (maybe more) after her suggestions and help. (Thank you!)
This chapter also has some actual lines from Naruto in it. I don't own Naruto, so, as with the characters, it doesn't belong to me and isn't mine. This is also a longer chapter than usual, so I hope you enjoy!
"Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy night." Bette Davis as Margo Channing in All About Eve
Shikmaru's thoughts swam in and out, trying to gain traction like a person running on slick sheet of ice. It was a fight for consciousness, one that he was losing, as he failed on his first attempt to open his eyes. He instead decided to focus on straightening out his thoughts. His muddled, half formed flashes of memory which led to this point. It wasn't until he tried moving his limbs, and found them tied down, that he started to actually remember. Tayuya and her three goons had jumped him in the parking lot of the library. He tried to fight them off. Obviously, that hadn't worked and they must have knocked him unconscious.
He should have known that skipping a few drinks and trying to do a good job weren't going to change his shit luck, nor the shithole of a city he lived in. Not going to change his life. This wasn't some movie where the lost kid, with a heart of gold, finds a way to make good. He should have known better than to let his guard down. At least he was still alive, though he wasn't feeling too happy about it.
Shikamaru used his tongue to assess the damage to his mouth; no lost teeth, but the metallic taste of blood and stinging pain confirmed that his lip was swollen and split. He quit tugging on the ropes and strove for calm. Keeping his eyes shut purposefully, he let his head continue to loll, hoping he could feign unconsciousness long enough to figure out a plan. Trying to find hope in a situation that didn't leave much room for it, was something that felt all too familiar.
Why the hell would someone want to jump him anyway? Scratch that. He knew he'd made some enemies at different times, but his guess was that it was related to the case. Shikamaru considered the list of suspects who could have set him up. The librarian could be working as an informant. Perhaps a corrupt cop had overheard his message for Kakashi? He considered whether Kakashi himself could have turned, but dismissed the idea. Asuma had plenty of flaws as a detective, but the man seemed to have a sixth sense when it came to recognizing people's characters. It could even be Temari or Kankuro, despite the previously expressed interested in working together. But that didn't seem quite right. They had plenty of other opportunities to take him. The darkened club parking lot made more sense than a library parking lot in broad daylight.
He mentally shook himself, he would have more time to think about all this later. Right now he needed to figure out where he was, who was actually there, what they planned, and how he could escape. He focused his concentration on the senses he could use. He heard sheets of rain thrumming down on a metal roof, though the sound was muffled. The air hung around him, stuffy, damp, still, and musty. He would bet that he was being kept in an abandoned building. There were several possibilities he knew of near the city outskirts that could fit the bill.
He heard the faint sound of a train whistle, through the rain. He allowed him to deduce, if it wasn't just ringing in his ears from the blow (or several blows) to his head, it would mean that he was located in the old shipping warehouse to the south of Konoha. Really it made sense, located where no one would see or hear anything. Even if he got away, he would have to travel a mile before reaching a main road and any chance of getting help. He was in deep shit.
He heard a door squeal open, in protest, to his left, followed by the click of a pair of heels and followed by the thud of heavier shoes. Tayuya's voice cut into the quiet. "You aren't fooling anyone, sleeping beauty. Open your eyes and cooperate, or one of my boys will get to play prince charming. Though it won't be kiss you'll get, but a fist to your face." she sang.
Shikamaru sighed and gave a yawn out of spite, as he slowly opened his eyes. Today just wasn't going how he hoped, in any aspect. And now it appeared his assessment had been all too spot on.
His eyes slowly swept throughout the room. A darkened hallway, set slightly back, to his right, connected to the room. That would probably be his best route for escape. Based on the dim light coming from it, it connected to a room with windows.
Tayuya stood, grinning wickedly, directly in front of him. Her three hulking cretins loomed ominously, from behind her. It appeared they entered from an old door behind them and to the left. A yellow light from above his head flickered. Apparently someone was keeping electricity going, and he wondered what else this place was used for.
His eyes landed back on the hulking henches. One had large hands balled into mallet like fists, another with brass knuckles, and a third tapped a baseball bat on the floor. The saying, 'No good deed goes unpunished' popped into his head.
"Nice place you got here." Shikamaru drawled. Not willing to look rattled. Not willing to give them anything.
"Thanks. I think you're going to like it better in a few minutes. I'm thinking of doing some redecorating… in red." Her eyes glinted with the promise of pain. Tayuya pulled out the list that had been in his jacket. The same jacket that now sat discarded and crumpled in the corner of the room. "Care to share where you got such a handy little list?"
Looking into her eyes would turn any man's stomach, and he was only a man. He couldn't say the same for her. She looked sickenly demonic. But he reminded himself, demons may walk the earth, but he wasn't telling her a damn thing. He would not put Sakura in danger. He couldn't live with her blood on his hands. Hell, he was barely living with Ausuma's. Death was an easy choice.
Tayuya's laugh was high and light, but it would be best classified as unsettling. "Suit yourself, asshole." She smirked and gave a short whistle, signaling the approach of the goon with the mallet like fists.
"So, which one are you? Moe, Larry, or Curly?"
The only answer Shikamaru got was a solid punch in the gut. The air fled his lungs. An audible groan slipped through Shikamaru's lips despite his intentions. He doubled over, curling over as he fought to breathe again through the pain.
"Ahhh… so, definitely Curly." Shikamaru wheezed as soon as he gained his breath again and was able to sit up.
Curly simply cracked his knuckles before dealing another blow.
Shikamaru was hoping he could just blackout, but, unsurprisingly, this wasn't Curly's first time working someone over. It felt like it had been going on for hours, but in truth it only had probably only been somewhere around 10 minutes. The silver lining of the situation was that everything was hurting so badly at this point that his body was starting to have issues registering the pain. Maybe it was because of the adrenaline, maybe it had to do with shock, or maybe his body hurt so many places that the pain receptors in his brain were cancelling each other out. However it was happening, it didn't really matter, part of him felt disconnected from the whole thing. Thank God for small miracles.
He had just had his face punched to his right, at the exact same time a flash of lightning struck and illuminated the dim hallway. Shikamaru blinked rapidly, sure that the blows to his head were finally breaking his grip on reality or that the blood running into his eyes were starting to distort his vision. He would swear, in the flash of lightning, that he saw Temari pressed to the walls of the corridor. However, now that he knew where to look, he couldn't miss the unmistakable figure hidden in the shadows.
Shikamaru turned his face forward again, and saw Curly looking to the same hallway and starting to take a step for it. He must have thought he saw something from the corner of his eye or noticed Shikamaru's own response.
"Fine. I'll tell you." The words were out of his mouth before he realized it. Anything to stop Curly from continuing to the hallway. To Temari.
Curly paused his step and looked at Shikamaru. Waiting. Tayuya cackled with delight.
He tried to force his brain to come up with a plan. At this point, thinking felt like pushing through waist high snow. He felt slow, clumsy, and tired. But he only needed to come up with something to give Temari time to escape back to where ever she had appeared from, if she was real, that is. Maybe she would even get help. He moved ahead with a quickly drawn plan.
Shikamaru mumbled and coughed. Drawing Curly closer and leaning in to hear him, but as soon as he got close enough, Shikamaru glared and added "Fuck you" before he spat in the hench's face. Furious, Curly reeled back before closing in again. This time, Curly leaned down, grabbing a finger on one of Shikamaru's bound hands. Shikamaru couldn't hold back the cry from his throat as he felt his finger snap.
The pain from his finger brought Shikamaru's head forward, and he used that to intentionally smash it into Curly's nose before Curly could move on to the next finger.
Yelling and blood quickly followed the crunch from Curly's nose. A satisfied Shikamaru's head swam. Curly's nose was gushing blood as he stumbled back to his friends, Moe and Larry. Tayuya barked an order that Shikamaru missed while trying to regain his bearings, only vaguely noticing that the three had retreated back through the door behind them.
Tayuya then turned back to Shikamaru. Her face twisted in fury, turning her once pretty features, that had already been marred by hatred, into something even more hideous and grotesque. "You think you're a smart bastard? You've done it now. You have no idea what you're in for. When we come back we're going to bring some fun toys, and we're going to peel your skin off your body until you are begging for death. No one hurts one of mine and gets away with it." She turned and stalked out of the room, following after her goons.
Shikamaru felt an unbidden shiver run through his body with her words. She meant every syllable. He had really angered her, and he knew that he had spent his last chance to live. Even if he gave up Sakura, the most that would buy him would be a quick death, now. He could only hope it had been worth it.
As soon as they left, Temari quickly ran on the balls of her feet, avoiding the click of her heels on the cement floor. She was in a dress that sported in a lavender mid-calf full skirt and black top. It may have been flattering on her, even in it's damped state, but not practical for the situation. How the hell did she end up here? What was she doing?
In a moment she was at his side. A switchblade in her hand and a dripping path of water in her wake. She crouched and started to cut the thick ropes anchoring his hands to the arms of the chair. "You seem to have some trouble making friends, Nara." She quipped in a whisper.
Shikamaru couldn't believe what he was hearing. Maybe he was just delusional from the blows to his head. Maybe this was some sort of trick, orchestrated by Tayuya. Maybe he was finally losing it.
An angry whisper rasped through his bloody lips. "Are you insane? You need to go and get help. Get the police here, right away. They'll be coming back any minute." His eyes darted back to the door his tormentors had left through.
Her voice pulled his focus back to her. "Since I'm new here, maybe it'd be a good idea to tell me how many are we dealing with?" The dame didn't seem to have the sense to be scared.
"Did you not hear what I just said?! This is not a place for a woman. What kind of man would I be if you get hurt because of me. Just go now. I can last until you can get help." She wasn't buying what he was selling. Honestly, he wasn't either, but he knew his captors weren't the type to have reservations about torturing and killing a lady if they found her here, too.
"Huh, still being all macho with the whole man and woman stuff? You talk tough, but I know it's just an act, idiot. You're only wasting our time." She hissed back. They glared at each other for a couple of seconds until he finally caved. It was easy to tell she wasn't the type to back down, and right now he was barely sitting up.
"Four total. Tayuya and her three henchmen. If you want my honest assessment, we're at an overwhelming disadvantage here. We're badly outnumbered. You need to go. Get outta here and get help."
Annoyance overflowed from Temari's words, "Good thing I didn't ask for your honest assessment then."
"Maybe you should have, doll." Tayuya laughed as she entered the room and motioned to Curly who had come up behind them from the hallway, and now sported a bandage on his nose. "My guys can move surprisingly quietly, when I want them to. They practically float."
Temari and Shikamaru froze. Tayaya continued, "You'll be wanting to drop that knife about now, blondie." Temari glared as the blade clattered on the cement. Shikamaru felt the blood drain from his face. There was nothing he could do.
Curly loomed directly behind Temari, with a sadistic smile on his face. Shikamaru felt sick. "Now stand up real slowly and put your hands in the air." Tayua commanded.
Temari began to comply, but as she stood, she slid a hand up her thigh, pulling her skirt slightly up, and pulling a gun from a concealed thigh holster. Once she gripped the gun, everything she did seemed to move as one smooth motion. She raised her firearm, shooting Moe and Larry in quick succession, as Tayuya dove out of the room through the doorway. Curly seemed shocked by the turn of events and began fumbling at his holster to draw his own pistol, but Temari was faster. She dropped and spun, before shooting upward at him for a headshot. Bits of blood and brain splattered her face and clothing. Shikamaru could only stare, stunned.
Once Curly's body thudded to the ground, Temari rose. Scanning both possible entrances. She walked up to Moe and Larry and put a round in both their heads. She wasn't leaving them to chance. "Do you think she's run off?"
Shikamaru snapped back to reality. "No. I think she's waiting for her chance to take us by surprise and kill us off. She won't go far." He recalled her words from earlier 'No one hurts one of mine and gets away with it'. Tayuya wasn't one to run. She had a temper and would want to make them suffer for the death of her men.
"You're going to have to stay put a little longer, then. I'm gonna take a quick look around for her." Shikamaru almost started to speak to stop her, but she put her hand on his shoulder and squeezed as she looked him in the eye. He knew she wanted him to trust her. So, he let his words die in his throat and nodded. She was up to something. He'd just have to trust that she knew what she was doing.
Temari headed for the door, weaving between the bodies, with her gun ready in her hand. Shikamaru watched her cautiously disappear through it, leaving the door cracked behind her. He was left listening and waiting. Listening to the rumble of thunder and the drumming of the rain. It was eerily quiet as the sounds of the earlier gunshots rang in his head. Waiting to hear more.
Then, Tayuya was behind him. The feel of the cold gun barrel digging hard into the back of his head.
"Don't make a god damned sound, or I'll shoot your mother fucking head off." Tayuya circled around him, keeping the gun trained on his head and taking care to step over Curly's crumpled body, until she stood directly in front of him. She had discarded her shoes, and now her stockings were steeped in Curly's blood. "Where's your girlfriend?"
"She's not my girlfriend." Shikamaru corrected.
"It doesn't matter anyway. First I'm going to kill you and then I'm going to find the bitch and finish her. I know she's looking for me right now." Hate gushed from her sneer. He could practically feel the killing intent roll off her in waves.
"I'm going to…" but Tayuya never finished her sentence as a gunshot rang out. A bloody bullet hole appeared in the center of Tayuya's head and her body crumpled into Shikamaru's lap. Tayuya hadn't expected it. Honestly, he hadn't either.
Temari came and pulled Tayuya's body to the ground, while Shikamaru continued gaping at the scene. She turned, stared at Tayuya's corpse and nudged it with her foot. Surely she was contemplating the bodies she'd taken in this very room. He expected her to lose her composure and dissolve into tears at any moment.
"How was that? Pretty good huh?" She smiled broadly at him. A smile like the sun breaking through storm clouds. Temari wasn't like most women. Scratch that, She wasn't like most people. She was full of surprises.
Shikamaru numbly nodded in response. Dazed. Thrown by his turn of luck. Temari had saved him. She was the scariest, most terrifying woman he had ever met, and she was on his side. He should be frightened. He had just watched her kill four people. But he wasn't. If he had been paying attention, he would have felt the smile tugging his lips. He was alive, a situation he didn't mind in the least.
And that's when it happened. Shikamaru looked down and saw the blood starting to pool around Tayuya's dead body. And with that, he felt his chest constrict, his breathing became labored, and the room vanished. He was back in the alleyway with Asuma's body at his feet, and Asuma's blood on his hands. Asuma gasping for breath.
Another Author's Note:
Seriously starting to wonder why I like ending chapters on somewhat dark notes. Hah!
Moe, Larry, and Curly is a reference to The Three Stooges.
I'm actually writing for a ShikaTema zine called "Shadows in the Wind". Everyone working on it blows me away, and I am lucky enough to be a part of it. I encourage everyone to check it out, and there is even exclusive content for those that subscribe to the newsletter.
