Chapter 7:
The girls were almost down the cellar stairs when they realized Shikamaru wasn't behind them. They didn't have time to search for him, fearing Sam was already rolling the wine out the door.
At the same time, Shikamaru ran up the castle steps towards the tower. He knew he was right, but just in case he wasn't, the girls were right where they needed to be.
Shikamaru reached the top floor and kicked the door down. "Stop!" he shouted.
Makoto turned around, Haru at his side.
"You can't be up here," Haru complained. "What do you think you're doing?"
Shikamaru stood tall where he was, facing the two men. "I think I've caught on to your little scheme. This isn't about wine, is it, Haru?"
Haru turned to face Shikamaru, turning his back to what he had been doing before. "I think you have me confused with Sam. I'm not after any wine."
"I know that," said Shikamaru. "Because that's what you've been using to drug the guests."
Offended, Haru scoffed and gave Shikamaru an angry look. "What are you talking about?"
"I have to admit, I thought Sam looked good for this, up until everyone started going insane. Sam wanted the wine, but that's unrelated to what's going on here, isn't it?"
"And what do you think is going on here?"
"You've been drugging guests in order to steal from Makoto."
Haru looked from Makoto to Shikamaru. "I have no idea what he's talking about. I have no idea what you're talking about. Why would I steal from my partner and friend?"
Shikamaru pointed at the chest behind Haru's legs. "What do you have there?"
"Items that will be going on auction after the ball," Haru said defensively. "You've got some nerve, making accusations like that."
Shikamaru didn't say a word, which only angered Haru more.
"Think about it," Haru said, taking a step towards him. "I'm Makoto's partner and his castle is going to be sold at the end of the season. He's trying to get rid of as many items as he can before then. That's why the auction is taking place. I have no reason to steal from him. Would you use your head, boy?"
"I am using my head," said Shikamaru. "That's how I know these auctions weren't Makoto's idea. He's not overseeing them. You are. You could be selling anything you want and he wouldn't know."
"That's ridiculous," spat Haru.
"Family heirlooms are rarely something people just auction off to strangers. And from what I've learned about Makoto, he doesn't seem to type to just sell those things at auction. I saw the way his face lit up when he spoke of his childhood and his family. He'd want to preserve these things, not sell them."
"He needs the money. Ever think of that?"
"So, he'd sell jewels to people who may not even know its real value?" Shikamaru shook his head. "I mean, it makes sense and it doesn't. Selling jewels for cash does make sense, but for something like that, most people would get it appraised or just keep the thing. Besides, if he's already selling the castle, why would he need to sell all these things, too?"
"There are plenty of reasons for that. And what makes you think I'm not the one giving him the real value of the items?"
"Because if you were, you'd know that some of the items you sold at auction were fake."
The man's eyes widened. "H- how did you know that?"
Shikamaru smirked. "I didn't. You just told me."
Haru snarled angrily at Shikamaru.
"However, I do know that you've been selling these things without Makoto's consent. And what he has been selling, you want for yourself."
"It can't be both," said Haru. "Pick a theory and stick with it."
"No, this is all one theory and I have proof." Shikamaru jerked his thumb over his shoulder and said, "Drugging the guests. I'm thinking this isn't your first time doing it. And I think I know why you did."
Haru glared at him. "I'm interested to hear this. Go on."
"Some items that were auctioned off were things you wanted. You know who obtained them because of the paperwork involved. That's why you encouraged Makoto to arrange these balls to lure them back to the castle. That's also why the guest list featured couples and why you would only allow so many people per night and why different villages in the area were invited. You wanted to keep it manageable so you could better spot the person with your item. You also knew that some of those auction winners bid on items intended for their partners. Things they may or may not be bringing to the castle to show off at a party."
"Couples or not, I didn't need to make it couples only, if I did what you're accusing me of." Haru folded his arms. "The same thing could be achieved even without couples being in attendance."
"True. But it would make for an easier distraction." Shikamaru again pointed over his shoulder. "One of those barrels of wine in the cellar is supposed to have a specific effect on those who drink it. An aphrodisiac. Knowing couples would be here and help themselves to the refreshments, it just made your work a whole lot easier. All you had to do was spike the punch and the couples would start pawing at each other. Not suspicious, compared to drugging them in other ways and having them wake up and know something unusual happened. This way, they were distracted and not think they were drugged because they were just in a romantic setting with their partners."
Haru snorted, amused. "Interesting theory. But you're missing a few details which tells me you're reaching."
"Am I?" Shikamaru looked at Makoto and said, "He's also been drugged. Same wine."
Haru glanced at Makoto and back at Shikamaru. "Does he look drugged to you? Please. You really are pulling things out your…"
"At the party, everyone said Makoto never married and has no girlfriend. However, when he was addressing us before the dance, he said that he hoped we would find love in this castle as he had."
"So?"
"So, I thought he was referring to his past. Childhood, family, all that stuff. But I realized it actually made more sense for him to be talking about a person. Someone who could convince him to bring people here for a ball. Auction some items and let you pocket the money."
"I did no such thing. He doesn't act like those people."
"Because he's become accustomed to its effects," answered Shikamaru. "You've been drugging him little by little to the point where he's not falling over himself but still desires your happiness. Makoto's drugged, making him submissive to you, which is how you've been getting him to do things he wouldn't do before, such as auction off his property."
Haru scoffed and turned his nose towards the ceiling. "All for money. Your theory's full of holes. You're just accusing me because you have no idea and need someone to blame."
"Like Makoto when all those women went missing?"
Haru flinched.
"Those women all had something you wanted. Something they got at auction. Under the wine's influence, you convinced them to return the items. However, since they got more of the wine than Makoto, they wanted to stay with you. Unable to shake them off, you had no choice but to bring them with you. After all, you probably had to pour a lot in the punch bowl. Not knowing how much people would drink probably made it hard to gage just how much they'd consume."
"That is not at all how things are!" Haru shouted. "That's not true!"
"Well, I suppose it is hard to believe every one of those women had something you wanted. Perhaps you only had to do it once or twice to get what you wanted." Shikamaru raised his brow at Haru. "However, that doesn't change the theory that those women came with you because they were drugged out of their minds."
"What are you saying?"
"Put simply, I think that only a couple of people bought the items you wanted at auction and you needed an excuse to get them back. You drugged Makoto and convinced him to throw a ball here to not arouse suspicion, knowing there was a good chance those people would return. After that, it just became easier to continue to use the balls as a cover to get the items you want. With everyone drugged downstairs, you could do as you pleased. Since it's couples only, you don't have to worry about people keeping an eye on you unlike those auctions. So, this became your cover. But not everyone stayed in the ballroom. Some women followed you because they were near you when they drank the spiked refreshments. That's how they ended up disappearing."
After witnessing Naruto's display of affection towards Sakura, Shikamaru developed a theory that the target of their affection didn't have to be their partner, just whomever they happened to be around when the drinks were consumed. Couples often drank together, so they became affectionate towards each other. However, Shikamaru noticed that there were a few people who were eying other people who weren't their partner. Considering that Naruto didn't go running off to be with Hinata further supported his theory.
He imagined that the women became attached to Haru and followed him. When he tried to escape, they grabbed on to him the same way Naruto did with Sakura giving them no option but to take them with them.
"Once the effects wore off, there's no way you could release those women since they remembered everything, so you kept them hostage until you could come up with a plan. And I'm pretty sure I know where they are."
"Really?" Haru asked, unimpressed.
"Yup." Shikamaru pointed to the trunk.
Haru stepped in front of it and denied there was anyone inside. It would certainly be big enough to hold one person, but not all the women who had gone missing.
"No, the women aren't in there. But it furthers my theory."
"Huh?"
Shikamaru smirked. "An old castle like this? All these old artifacts like shields and décor? They always have something to hide. Like the items you wanted back. It wasn't the item itself you wanted. It was what was hidden."
Haru backed into the trunk and sat on top of it. "How do you know…?"
"Those items auctioned off wouldn't have been if Makoto knew you wanted them. And he wouldn't have sold anything he found of value. That tells me you found something valuable and hid it in something unassuming. Something you doubted anyone would want."
Shikamaru pulled a kunai from his suit pocket and flicked it against a shield mounted on the wall. The shield fell to the ground, exposing its other side. Just below the handle of the shield was a dagger concealed from the enemy but easily accessed by the wielder.
"Lots of weapons had hidden things inside of them. Same thing with old castles. There's always a hidden door."
Haru snarled and stood. "You have no idea how much I've had to endure. This castle was just sitting here and Makoto never did anything with it. He has no family to support. He has tons of money. You think he'd share any of it with me, is partner of ten years?"
"This was about greed or you feeling you're owed something?"
"He let the public into his castle but did he ever give me the key? Did he ever let me use it when I wanted? I told him I had fallen on hard times and his solution was to sell some items he didn't want any more in his family's castle and split the money with me. Split it? It's not like he needed the cash."
"So, it's like I guessed," muttered Shikamaru.
"He thought holding the auction here would help because of the ambiance, which he was right about. But those items were a joke compared to the other items he had in here. But no. He wasn't willing to sell those. Even when people offered him cash for it, he refused. It was my idea to make fakes of them and sell it to the people who took an interest. I kept the cash, as I should."
"But he suspected, didn't he?"
"Not at first since his items were still in the castle. But he heard talk and confronted me about it. I gave him some wine and he calmed right down. He wanted to do whatever I wanted. Anything to make me happy. But the wine only lasts for so long. I had to keep giving him more, dosing him whenever I could. It just turned into this."
"And the women?" inquired Shikamaru. "Once they started clinging to you, you knew you couldn't let them go. But you had to eventually. Which makes Makoto the perfect scapegoat."
Haru smirked. "Well, he will do anything I say. The loving looks were a pain to tolerate, but I suppose this makes up for it."
Haru probably wouldn't tell him where the women were, but he knew they had to be hidden in a secret room in the castle and he probably had Makoto's help to do it. He could always question Makoto later after the wine wore off or use the wine to make him submissive to Shikamaru so he would happily tell him.
Tossing the kunai told Haru that Shikamaru was a threat, but he didn't know everything Shikamaru could do. Makoto would probably defend Haru, given the state he was in. If Shikamaru could snare both of them with his shadow at once, this would be over instantly.
However, it was likely Haru had something useful hidden nearby. Shikamaru had to be on the lookout for that. The ground felt firm so there may not have been a trapdoor, but he didn't want to rule that out just yet.
Just as he assumed, Haru made his move, but not for a weapon. He smashed the light mounted on the wall, plunging them into darkness. He wanted to blind Shikamaru, but he had ended up putting Shikamaru in more of a disadvantage than he realized.
Without the light, Shikamaru's shadow wouldn't work. If everything was dark, there would be no shadow for him to use. He needed a light source, however small.
The window. There was a window behind Haru. As long as there was no overcast, he should be able use his jutsu.
Haru's head was moving. If there was a secret door in this room, Haru could get away. Shikamaru had to act fast.
Shikamaru chose to get closer to Haru. He normally liked to maintain a comfortable distance between himself and an enemy, but in this case, he had little choice if he wanted to stop Haru from leaving.
The window was open behind the trunk Haru had been moving when he got distracted. The moon was out. He could see light from outside. This was perfect.
Shikamaru stretched his shadow over to Haru.
Haru got on top of the trunk when he saw the shadow moving towards him. Thinking he was safe, Haru took his eyes off the shadow to look for a weapon. The shadow started to creep up the side of the trunk and he jumped from the trunk to a chair hidden under a white cloth. The shadow changed directions, coming for him again.
"Makoto!" he called. "Stop him!"
Makoto looked from Haru to Shikamaru. Compelled to help the object of his affection, Makoto tried to tackle Shikamaru. The shadow shrank back to defend Shikamaru, snaring Makoto instead who froze in place.
"This is between me and Haru," Shikamaru told him. "I'm not going to kill him so you don't have to interfere."
Unable to move his head, Makoto gave Shikamaru a pleading look. "But it makes him happy. He's not doing anything wrong."
"He made you sell those things and kidnapped those women."
"I let him have those things. I gave him gifts because he wanted them. Those women came with him willingly."
"Only because he drugged you and those women," Shikamaru retorted. "Once it wears off, I bet you'll be pretty pissed off at the things he made you do."
"He didn't make me do anything! I did it on my own!"
"Because you were drugged. He took advantage of you in your drugged up state. That'd piss off anybody." Shikamaru didn't want to waste his chakra holding Makoto in place, but if he let him go, he would likely attack him again. "Tell you what. If you still feel the same way tomorrow, I'll reconsider."
Shikamaru kept his eyes moving as he spoke, making sure he knew where Haru was and trying to figure out what to do with Makoto at the same time. If there was something he could lock Makoto inside of for the time being.
Something passed by the window, blocking out the light and cutting off Shikamaru's connect with Makoto's shadow. It was only a second, but it was enough to set Makoto free who immediately lunged at Shikamaru.
He drove Shikamaru back towards the door with his shoulder in Shikamaru's chest. Shikamaru could tell Makoto was thinking of simply closing him out of the room, but he wasn't going to let him. Shikamaru pushed his foot off the door frame, forcing Makoto backwards. He made a split-second decision and whacked Makoto in the temple with his elbow.
Makoto's body went limp and he shoved Makoto aside, letting him hit the ground nearby.
He looked back at Haru who had found his weapon. Shikamaru's shoulders slumped in annoyance. "You're kidding."
Holding a crossbow in his hand, Haru smirked. "Just in case you dodge it, I've got another weapon behind my back and the one in my other hand."
Shikamaru looked closely at Haru's hands and notice that the crossbow could be fired one-handed. How accurate it was depended on Haru's proficiency, which was a current unknown, and how good the weapon itself was. Often a skilled user would be at a disadvantage if the weapon itself was damaged or in rough shape. Haru also held a small blade in his other hand, supporting the crossbow. He claimed to have a weapon behind his back, but Shikamaru couldn't be certain if that were true or not. Haru had time to gather weapons while he dealt with Makoto, so it was possible. It could have been a bluff as well. Shikamaru had to consider both to be true until he learned otherwise.
"Take one step and I'll fire," Haru warned.
Shikamaru tried to use his shadow to get close to Haru but he couldn't reach him. After being pushed back, he was even further away than before. He needed another four inches. His shadow shrank back and he tried something else.
After all, he made sure to leave Makoto there for a reason.
His shadow went for Makoto then stretched towards Haru, Makoto's shadow being exactly what he needed to extend his shadow's length.
Haru pointed the crossbow at Makoto. "Do it, and I'll shot him."
Shikamaru's shadow stopped and shrank back.
"I will," Haru insisted.
Shikamaru believed him. To save himself, a desperate man would do anything and not think about the consequences.
"If you kill him, what will happen to you?" Shikamaru asked him.
"Me?" asked Haru with a smirk. "I'll just tell people you shot him. Besides, would you really be ok with me shooting a helpless hostage?"
Shikamaru tried to bluff. "What do I care? He attacked me first. I don't know him. What makes you think I wouldn't let you waste your arrow on him and stop you while you're reloading?"
"A guy who's out to save a bunch of women he's never met doesn't strike me as the kind to do that."
"Hey, I'm paid to save those women. I'm not paid to save him," Shikamaru told him.
"Yet you tried to keep him out of harm's way when you could have simply killed him and come after me. I'm calling your bluff."
Shikamaru sighed. He was right.
He knew that a crossbow could only fire one shot at a time and took time to reload. Once he made Haru waste his shot, he could go after him without concern. He was confident he could stop that blade in Haru's other hand which he kept for that exact reason. However, Haru claimed to have another weapon behind his back. Without knowing what that was, it was possible that it could have been anything from a sword to a second crossbow. He couldn't go charging in.
Which was why his shadow was the best chance he had. With Makoto lying right there, he could extend his shadow and reach Haru. All he had to do was make Haru waste his shot and use his shadow.
Shikamaru deliberately took a step to the side as if to run at Haru, thinking he would fire at him directly. After all, by his logic, Haru would fire at Shikamaru as the immediate threat instead of an unconscious man on the ground. If Shikamaru was already willing to move and risk Makoto's life, then there was no point in firing at him but at Shikamaru himself. Especially if Shikamaru would continue charging even after he fired a shot at Makoto. It made the most sense.
Haru fired at Makoto, not Shikamaru.
Shikamaru used his shadow to pull Makoto far away from Haru and over to the wall to protect him. The arrow sank into the floorboard without harming Makoto.
He didn't think Haru would do that, but now that his arrow was wasted…
Something cut Shikamaru's cheek and he instinctively jumped backward to gain some distance. Haru had thrown the small knife he had in his hand but had quickly grabbed another one to replace it as soon as Shikamaru was away from him. It seemed he did have additional weapons after all.
"Now what will you do?" Haru asked with a confident look in his eyes. "Back to square one and now you don't have Makoto to help you."
He was right. To protect Makoto, Shikamaru had to move him which meant he no longer had him there to extend his shadow. The arrow was there, however. It was thin, but it would be enough. As long as it had a shadow, it was enough.
Shikamaru had accounted for this. Just in case he was wrong and Haru used his arrow to either prove to Shikamaru that he wasn't bluffing or if he fired at him instead of Shikamaru as he had, Shikamaru knew there would be an arrow stuck in the ground he could use.
He also managed to prove that Haru wasn't bluffing and did have another weapon. He may have tossed one small knife, but Shikamaru now knew he had others. He still had to reload his crossbow, too.
This was the time to strike. He would use the arrow to connect his shadow to Haru's and that would end the fight.
Shikamaru stretched his shadow towards the arrow. From there it went straight for Haru near the window and… stopped.
No. It couldn't reach. He was still short another inch.
Was it because he jumped back after getting cut? He must have retreated too far. The difference was an inch instead of four like last time. Maybe it was because Haru had moved back. After all, he wasn't on top of the trunk anymore and closer to the window. That must have been it.
Haru gave Shikamaru another cocky smirk. "What now, boy? Any other tricks up your sleeve?"
He could throw a kunai and use that. He could take a step closer. He had options, but there was danger for every move he could make. He just needed an extra inch to reach Haru. But if he moved…
He had to keep Haru from moving and extend his shadow at the same time.
Haru looked behind Shikamaru at the door. He glared and gritted his teeth. "And who's this? Reinforcements?"
Shikamaru looked over his shoulder at Temari who was walking calmly into the room staring straight ahead. "What are you doing here?" he asked quietly. "A sneak attack would have been ideal here."
Temari looked from Shikamaru to Haru and grinned. "Why would I help you?"
Shikamaru groaned, thinking this was more of her warrior persona shining through. "He knows where the missing women are. We have to capture him alive. Could you help me out here?"
Temari scoffed. "Why would I help you hurt the man I love?"
Shikamaru took his eyes off Haru to look at her. "Huh?"
Temari was smiling at Haru. "I saw you at the party all by yourself. Does this mean you're an available bachelor?"
Shikamaru didn't know what was going on.
Temari hurried over to Haru unafraid and wrapped her arms around him. "I knew the moment I saw you that I wanted to be with you forever."
Did she drink that punch?
"Temari, get away from him," Shikamaru told her. "He's…"
She ignored Shikamaru and looked at Haru, fanning her eyelashes affectionately. "Is this guy bothering you, honey?"
Honey? Hearing her say that was like a stab in the heart.
Haru grinned and held her close with his arm. "Just stay in front of me as a shield, girl, while I reload."
"Anything you say, honey." Temari wrapped herself around Haru's chest and held on tight with both arms.
Shikamaru couldn't believe what he was seeing. He was certain she hadn't taken a drink at the dance. How did she end up drugged? Was this a delayed reaction? What was going on?
Aside from a miscalculation, Shikamaru was even more offended by what he was seeing.
How dare this be happening. How dare Haru do this to Temari. How could Temari do this to him?
Seeing her holding another man right in front of him like this was offensive enough, but an enemy was downright brutal. He was angry and hurt. Angry and hurt that it wasn't him.
"Temari, no," he tried, but there was no point.
"This your girl?" Haru put a knife to Temari's neck and held it there. "More reason for you not to move."
Shikamaru hadn't felt like this before. He was angry that his plan wasn't working, but even more than that, he was angry that Temari was doing this. He should have been the one she was clinging to. Not that awful man. The strong warrior Temari needed to be rescued and he was just the man to do it. Recusing Temari sounded so good to him right now. She needed him to save her. What a feeling that was. What was the feeling, though? He couldn't put a name to it. He wasn't sure if he felt good or bad about it. It was a curious mix of emotion. Her being a hostage made him so angry but seeing her show affection towards someone other than him made him even angrier.
He couldn't think. He knew what had to be done, but it clashed with what he wanted to do. The problem was, he didn't know what he wanted to do. Should he be angry at Temari or the man? The affection she showed Haru was like a punch to the gut.
The strange thing was, he thought he'd feel about the same if she acted this way with anyone who wasn't him. He wanted Temari to do this with him.
She wasn't Haru's to be used and locked away as a hostage. She was Shikamaru's. She should have been.
Why did he feel like this? Why did seeing her do this make him so angry? So hurt? He was losing sight of what he needed to do. He had to focus.
"You prince charming or something?" Temari was saying to Haru. Hearing her talk like this was weird, but knowing who she was talking about just made Shikamaru even angrier.
He snarled and glared at Haru, blaming him for everything.
Haru just laughed. "Guess you got no more tricks up your sleeve. Too bad. I knew it." He held Temari tighter to his chest. "She makes an excellent shield, I must say."
Shikamaru's hands were shaking as he balled them into fists.
"So," Temari asked Haru, glancing Shikamaru's way, "you want this guy gone or what?" She used her arm to point at Shikamaru.
"You just stay right where you are," Haru told her. "He'll figure out where the door is if he knows what's good for him. If he doesn't, I can always use this." He held up the reloaded crossbow.
"You don't have to worry about me moving, honey." She looked at Shikamaru again. "But the door's that way, in case you can't tell." She held her arm over her head to point behind him.
Shikamaru just stared at them, feeling his blood boil.
"I said, the door's that way, idiot," she told Shikamaru with a little more force in her voice. She pointed again at the door, keeping her arm high over her head.
Why was she pointing like that? Was it because she was trying to be condescending? Did she think he couldn't see where she was pointing in the dark room, so she made sure to hold her arm up in front of the window to make sure he saw it?
In front of the window.
Shikamaru looked at the floor. Her arm cast a shadow, sticking out like a diving board across the pool of light from the moon behind her.
Of course.
Shikamaru stretched his shadow again and he managed to grab Haru and Temari at the same time. He pulled the trigger on the crossbow and had Haru drop it with his hands in the air. He changed his jutsu, having his shadow wrap around Haru to hold him in place while allowing Temari to go free.
"About time you figured it out," she complained and stood up, brushing herself off. "I was this close to vomiting, saying those things."
Shikamaru looked at her in surprise and relief. "Then you're not drugged?"
"Are you kidding?" she asked with her hands on her hips. "You know I didn't drink any of that stuff. And you're a genius? I needed to get close to him to get rid of the other weapons behind his back and give you more shadow to work with."
Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "Just checking," he grumbled.
He smiled despite himself. The rage was gone but he still felt warm inside.
