Chapter 21
"What is she still doing in Suna?" The Kazekage sits straighter on his chair; the documents on the table are forgotten for the time being.
"Kazekage-sama, she has asked to be brought here" Kaito answers "She can't seem to leave Suna without talking to you"
The Kazekage frowns at the young Suna shinobi wearing a beige flak jacket "She didn't leave Suna?"
Kaito nods his brown head once. He can swear on his life that Temari has not left Suna during the time that he has lost her. Afterall he has observed the Suna gates for almost seven days and he has never seen even Temari's shadow approach the area so it is safe to assume she has travelled within Suna but not out of Suna then back again.
The Kazekage gestures with the flick of his hand for Kaito to leave.
After the young chunin's departure, uneasy silence reigns inside the room.
Finally, the Kazekage acknowledges the angry glint on Temari's eyes, he announces while subsequently leaning back on his chair "You finally know"
"Yeah. That I'm your daughter. That you probably switched me and Shikamaru that day" Temari speaks calmly then baring her teeth she remarks in accusation "How could you?"
The older man laughs "You did not come back just to ask me that question, did you?"
Temari glares at her real father. Even after more than six days, most of it spent on travelling back and forth to Suna, the tiredness she feels is masked by the adrenaline pumping through her veins. The anger she feels towards the older man in front of her is palpable. She closes her hands into fists, to prevent them from taking her big folding fan from her back holster to attack the person who because of his treachery has made her life into one big lie.
The kazekage stops laughing upon noticing Temari's non-smiling countenance "You did of course" The kazekage claps his hands in mocking admiration, saying "Stupid but still brave" But the Kazekage's humour is swiftly replaced with a serious threat "You should realize that if anybody should learn about it, your parents or rather Shikamaru's parents are good as dead. After all they were the ones who exchanged their son with my daughter"
"THAT'S ALL A LIE!" Temari shouts.
"Yes, but then the Hokage would not dare accuse me of deceit" The Kazekage's lips twist slyly "So tell me Temari, how did you figure it out?" Eyes glinting dangerously, the kazekage remarks, "Shikamaru?"
"Why don't you ask me that instead, father?" Shikamaru has used his shadow hand to open quietly the door to his father's office once he has verified from the Anbu guards outside that a blond Konoha kunoichi is currently meeting with his father.
The Kazekage has an almost indiscernible hesitation as he slaps the table with his right palm "So you found out"
"Yes" Shikamaru speaks nonchalantly. His eyes show no emotions and his body relax in his stance.
Temari is not surprised that Shikamaru has discovered the truth himself. "Ass! How could you just stand there as if nothing happened?" Temari glowers at Shikamaru, transferring her attention and her anger from the Kazekage to him.
"Do you want me to kill her father?" Shikamaru ignores Temari's outburst.
Forehead creases into a frown, Temari is stunned. She is unable to comprehend why would Shikamaru, with all seriousness, say that. Doesn't he declared before, his voice resounding in her head "...it's not important whether she'll betray me again or not. What is, is that she knows she could trust me not to let her die" Temari now realizes that subconsciously, she has always believed in that promise.She feels a keen disappointment and another unexplainable emotion—much like a physical pain in her gut. She has never feared Shikamaru even the times she has caught glimpses that he could be quite cruel, always going for the silent kill "Ass, you couldn't kill me that easily!" She wants to strike Shikamaru and murder him herself. She has started to move towards him, the man who saved her six years ago, fully intending to do him bodily harm when she is stopped on her tracks.
"Who else knows, Shikamaru?"The Kazekage looks into his son's eyes.
Shikamaru realizes that it's a test of his loyalty. The Kazekage may already be aware of the answer or not "Just her"
"And you of course" The Kazekage's lips start to lift at a corner but turn down abruptly, comprehending something unpleasant "Where did you go with Gaara, Shikamaru?"
Another loaded question design to catch his lie "Like you ordered, I went with Gaara to train in the Eastern plateau of Suna. You can ask him" Shikamaru states unblinkingly, knowing that the Kazekage seldom sees his youngest son.
The Kazekage's gaze reveals his doubt, considering that Shikamaru's statement doesn't explain his sudden knowledge of the truth. Furthermore, Temari doesn't know the full extent of his treachery either before. Something must have happened.
Temari finally realizes what Shikamaru is trying to do. How could he state with such assurance that only her and him know about the secret? If not for the reason that he is trying to protect her parents or rather his parents. Temari should have felt elated but it only fuels her anger. It is her responsibility to keep Shikaku and Yoshino from harm but it seems Shikamaru has shown to her that because of her recklessness her parents could be in danger. True, both Shikaku and Yoshino are strong shinobis but then the Kazekage is a powerful man with hundreds of shinobis under his command. Temari bites her lower lip tasting blood "I followed Shikamaru and that red headed boy to the Eastern Plateau. It was there that I saw farther proof that he could do things I couldn't. You said yourself I'm not stupid. I realized then that I'm your daughter and I told Kama—Shikamaru that...That was how he learned of the secret"
The Kazekage glances meaningfully from Shikamaru to Temari.
Shikamaru shrugs "This doesn't change anything father. Suna is still my home" Shikamaru then turns his head towards Temari, catching her eye, as he mentions calmly "It would be troublesome explaining to Konoha that one of their Kunoichis is found dead in Suna but it could be arranged"
Temari's piercing eyes reflect her hatred as she launches herself after Shikamaru. She recognizes the fact that if she dies now, that would reassure the Kazekage that the secret goes with her. It would be for the best. It would be her sacrifice that would save her parents.
Shikamaru immediately creates seals for the neck bind technique to halt Temari on her tracks. The shadow hand then creeps up her body, pinning one arm to her torso. Next it encloses her neck, the five shadow fingers subsequently tightens painfully, choking her.
Temari stops herself from crying out, her free hand trying to grasp the formless arm, her eyes spitting fire.
Then Temari's vision starts to blur and her lips acquire a bluish hue, that's when the Kazekage finally declares "Enough!"
Shikamaru slowly loosens his grip on Temari's neck. Temari coughs several times before she gasps air to her deprived lungs. Her now exposed neck shows hand print bruises. "Ass!" She rasps hoarsely.
"Tch" Shikamaru glances at the bruises then addresses his father "Will that be all?"
"Escort Temari out of Suna and make sure she will heed my warning this time"
"Yes, father" Shikamaru bows towards the Kazekage before turning towards the direction of the door, not bothering to check if Temari is following him.
Temari has indeed trailed after him. They don't converse with each other not even when they have reached Suna's monolith gate. Shikamaru trudges ahead even after they have exited Suna. Only when they are on the open desert sand area quite a distance from the village gate, does Shikamaru deemed to speak.
Shikamaru swivels around to face Temari "Why did you come back here?" Shikamaru asks; voice unaccusing and even mildly curious.
Temari does not answer, her eyes avoiding Shikamaru's and focus instead at far away distance.
"Tch" Shikamaru pulls his right hand from inside his pocket to wipe the perspiration on his brow when he notices that his fingers are trembling ever so slightly. Letting the perspiration course down his face, he returns his hand inside his pocket "I almost killed you" Shikamaru glances at Temari, reading her face. He gambles and wins but at what price?
Temari without looking still at Shikamaru, mumbles "When I was growing up I always wondered why my hair is blond"
Shikamaru's lips lift slightly at the corners, eyes roving over Temari new hairstyle "Ba-ka"
Temari glares at Shikamaru, "You wouldn't understand!"
"Then try to make me understand" Shikamaru's eyes reveal his confusion then subsequently his anger "You have two parents who dote on you and yet you almost throw that away to find a man not worthy to be called your father. Why?"
"Because they are not my parents! They are yours!" Temari suddenly shouts; eyes with a glassy sheen on them.
"Dammit! They are your parents! They fed you, clothed you. Give you love. What more do you want from them for you to accept that they are your real parents" Shikamaru also shouts back.
Temari shakes her head; voice lowered "I deprived you of them. You should be the one that received their affection but instead you grew up in a dysfunctional family"
"My family isn't dysfunctional! I had a loving mother. My father may be strict but he has to be. Without mom how else would he raise his three sons? And my brothers aren't so bad. Kankuro may like to joke around but he's never cruel and Gaara keeps to himself but the times he tries to open up to me or Kankuro are the times we feel that he trusts us. My family isn't perfect but they are my family" Shikamaru insists, chest heaving.
"With your ability you could be whatever you want. While I, I have to work hard to feel accepted"
Temari declares quietly.
"What do you mean?"
"I don't have your bloodline limit. Everyone from otosan's side of the family has inherited the shadow technique except me. I used to wonder why but okasan said I take up from her side of the family. Funny, that now I don't wonder anymore I should find the answer to" Temari gives a hollow chuckle.
TBC
-o0o-
2/16. 4/13/11
A/N: Eastern plateau of Suna...something I made up and so is Kaito.
So how is it? ...Review please.